Once I get a durable POA, can I make and use copies or will I have to have all originals?
I downloaded the DPOW form from Legacy Writers (19.95) after filling the information in for my Mom. Will businesses, etc accept copies after I get it notarized or must I get several copies notarized?
I think copies of poa are fine. It's the Will that needs to be an actual bona fide original. Banks will scoff at poa, even if an original--they want account holder to come in, in person, and fill out their own in-house forms & signatures (see other discussions of banks and poa here on this website).
My mother had me assigned DPOA in her home state. Mom and dad went through an expensive lawyer to get that done. When my father died and we moved her to our state that DPOA was no longer valid.
I found the standard DPOA form on her/my state's website and printed it out free of charge. When we set up banking for mom, the bank rep came to the house and witnessed and notarized the document with all of us signing. Four years in, all is good. I handle her finances with no problem whatsoever.
littlesprout, it is called a DPOA and your mom has to sign it in front of the Notary Public. Even a Notary has to be sure she knows what she is signing. If she has dementia, they will not notarize the document.
I have found that some places need an original and some will take copies. I think you are wiser to get several originals. I agree that doing it through a lawyer is safer.
I understand being able to use copies of the documents you mentioned. But a Durable Power of Attorney is a bit different. The site Legacy Writers used the information I gave them and completed the DPOW for me.
My Elder Law attorney gave me xerox copies of my medical POA, Medical Directive, and Living Will when I had to go into the hospital... the hospital accepted the xeroxed copies.
Personally, I would never use a Power of Attorney form off of a website, and try to fill it out myself.... all it would take is one misplaced word to make the POW read differently than what you had attended. But I do understand sometimes the cost of hiring an attorney can be out of reach.
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I found the standard DPOA form on her/my state's website and printed it out free of charge. When we set up banking for mom, the bank rep came to the house and witnessed and notarized the document with all of us signing. Four years in, all is good. I handle her finances with no problem whatsoever.
Personally, I would never use a Power of Attorney form off of a website, and try to fill it out myself.... all it would take is one misplaced word to make the POW read differently than what you had attended. But I do understand sometimes the cost of hiring an attorney can be out of reach.