A power of attorney is a legal document that gives one or more persons the right to act on your behalf. You are legally entitled to give more than one person power of attorney. In Illinois, there are 3 primary types of Power of Attorney (POA): limited power of attorney, durable power of attorney and springing power of attorney. Often POAs are used for many different reasons, including
• medical decisions
• financial situations
• travel for extended periods of time or to remote or dangerous areas
• long or short-term childcare
• military service
Choosing who will hold your POA is a very important decision, but it is one that can be changed or revoked altogether and can be in effect for a short or long period of time. You may want to give more than one person your Power of Attorney to act in different circumstances or to make decisions together. If you give two or more people your POA, you must decide whether they have completely separate responsibilities that do not overlap, or if they must act together to make decisions about your affairs.
When you work with an attorney to execute a power of attorney, they can explain the ramifications and advise you of the best POA to fit your needs. To talk to a Chicago attorney contact the Estate & Probate Legal Group in Lombard Illinois at 630-800-0112.
