More on Powers of Attorney or POA
by: Wyoming Legal Services - Lander Office
Helping Others Help You
When you want or need help doing things for yourself, you can give someone else a Power of Attorney (POA).
When you do this, you give them the power to act for you.
What is a Power of Attorney (POA)?
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a piece of paper allowing one person to act for the other person.
How do I give a POA?
You choose your agent- the person who you want to act for you.
Your agent must take care of whatever the POA say they will.
The POA must be in writing and signed by you.
Can I control when my POA starts and ends?
Yes. A POA can be written to go into effect now or in the future.
- If you want it to go into effect when a certain thing happens (for instance, when you leave the country or get sick);
- If you want it to start or end on a certain date, put that date in the POA.
You must say what your agent can and can't do
Put in the POA what kind of power you what your agent to have. For instance, you could write
"During any time that I am in the hospital, I want my agent, __(name of agent)__, to take care of my two pet dogs. My agent may have my dogs put to sleep without my written consent."
When does my POA end?
It ends
- on the date you put in the POA;
- when the event you put in the POA happens (for instance, you return from travelling or get over an illness);
- the person you gave the POA to dies or quits;
- you take the POA away (this is called revoking the POA);
- you die or are unable to make your own decisions
What if I do not want the POA any more?
- You can end your POA by telling the County Clerk in the county in which you live.
- You should include a copy of the POA with the letter you write to the Clerk.
- You should also send a letter to your agent.
- Tell your hospital, bank or anybody your agent does business with that the agent can no longer act for you. For best results put this in writing.
There is also POA for when you have health problems
It is called a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA).
A DPOA is called durable because it does not go away if you become unable to make your own choices.
If you need someone to make health care choices for you, use a DPOA for Health Care.
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For more information see:
[Power of Attorney][Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care][Wyoming Advance Health Care Directive form]
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