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I was a DPOA but now I was replaced by a distant family member. If they are just a POA what does DPOA still have power over?

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Please tell us what DPOA stands for.
Also, in my state, North Carolina, POA must be registered with a county offices. Not knowing what DPOA means, I can't address that.

Grace + Peace,
Bob
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The D means Durable. Most people use POA but still have a durable Power of Attorney. People can assign someone as POA for a limited time over some particular issue, but a durable POA is broad and continues even when the person for whom it's created becomes incapacitated. In most cases, when a new POA is created it replaces the previous one. For legal advice always check with an attorney.
Take care,
Carol
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DPOA = Durable Power of Attorney
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I have a Durable Power of Attorney for my Dad. If you look in the wording of the document, most have the wording or similar to: "this DPOA or POA is in place of or replacing a previous DPOA or POA." Something in that regard. Sometimes that can vary State to State. My suggestion is if you can look at the document and it does say this and was signed by a Notary or executed by an attorney, it is, in fact, legal and binding. I have experience in the legal system in two different States and there are various differences. I hope this helps.
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Challenging the new POA is costly and difficult. My brother-in-law tricked my mother-in-law into making him POA after she had carefully chosen my husband originally. We had to go to court and have her declared incapacitated in order to invalidate the new POA. It was grueling. We won (and she won as she would have been in very bad hands with my brother in law) but I can't recommend doing this unless it's dire.
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oldbob, how did you know the POA has to be registered?
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Every STATE or COUNTY has different LAWS so you MUST ALWAYS check with Your village or county clerks office concerning Family Court or Elderly Laws (check with Surrage Court in Your area also)YOU must be registered in Your Villages.County asa a POA~~ Hope this Helps(Been there done that ,, doing it again with In -laws )
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Thanks, everyone who suggested consulting a lawyer. I will do that before changing my POA.
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I agree that each state has certain criteria regarding a person giving their control to another. If the distant relative now has POA, the person giving it has decided to replace you for whatever reasons. Try to work with the new situation and your question may be moot since you are writing under "hospicevsfamily" and apparently you are the caregiver and not family. Hospice is not a long term situation as the person is terminal...
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You can certainly have multiple powers of attorney, although it may not be a good idea! It's best to revoke prior powers of attorney when a new one is signed. This is why many banks will not recognize a power of attorney that is more than a few years old: for all they know it has been revoked, replaced, etc.

Some states require registration of a power of attorney, some not. You need to check.

DPOA means "durable power of attorney." "Durable" means that the authority given to the agent in the POA continues to be effective even after the incapacity of the "principal" (i.e., the person who signed the document and is giving powers to someone else: to the "agent").
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The new POA should clearly state whether or not it revokes previous POAs. When I had a new POA with gifting rider done for my mom, I had my daughter included on it and it specified that it did not revoke the previous POA which was standard and only included me. This was a failsafe in case it was lost and for expedience with institutions that already had the old one on file where there was no need to present the new one. Both are durable, meaning that if my mom develops dementia, the POAs are still valid until her death. I am in NY.
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Once you determine which POA is valid after talking to an attorney, you should make every effort to destroy/shred the original and all copies of the documents that are no longer valid. This guidance from my estate attorney also applies to any Will, Trust, Advance Medical Directive that is not valid.
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As A Notary I see many POA's and they all have a prefice ie: Medical POA, Mental Health POA, Durable POA, and they all cover different areas. A POA that is signed by a notary is a legal document. Also, if the document requires only a witness it is also a legal document. If another POA is signed afterwards, as long as the patient is competant and was not coerced the new date and document becomes the legal document and overrides the first. It is better to use forms that requires a Notary so there is not question about who and what are valid witnesses. In addition, most banks have their own forms for financial POA's and are very particular, also known as a Durable POA. And do check w/ your local/state laws. I have never heard of anhyone registering as a POA in AZ so different areas do have different laws. Good luck.
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If I had the $ to go to a lawyer.....I WOULD.....
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Ms. Coulter, may I ask who told you that a DPOA is still valid after death? That would cause a conflict with authority under a will or trust.
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Oh, I am so sorry- I misread your post. I thought it read "after" death, rather than until death.

I apologize, and stand corrected.
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DPOAs should stand for Difficult Process Of Authority in my book. A DPOA can be changed any time. In some states, if the DPOA is changed, they are supposed to notify you if you are the previous DPOA holder. In my mother's case, she changed the DPOA to someone else. I found the document going through the box she told me about from her hospital bed. I presented the newer document to her and told her she needed to depend on the person she had assigned, that I was going home. She did not recall changing the DPOA and summoned her attorney to her bedside to reverse the DPOA back to the original one. An expensive mess. If the DPOA you signed in your younger years was good, perhaps you should leave it alone and not be influenced to put someone else in charge of your life and money. Just a thought.
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Here in NY, if it is a standard first time DPOA, the forms are available online and there is no need for a lawyer. However, if you are in need of a stronger POA that allows gifting and re-titling of property and accounts, definitely have a lawyer draw it up.
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I would consider myself no longer the POA. A person has a right to make the change. Ask the person who signs off why the change was made.
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I am my mom's dpoa..and because of the frivolous actions that so-called friend of my mom(her-then poa) did to her,I made sure that the attorney who created the document, for my mom to sign as her dpoa,also include a revocation of former poa statement , and record it with the county..
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Okay, DPOA stands for Durable Power of Attorney.
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Both POA and DPOA must be notarized and the elder (patient) must provide photo ID.
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so if a person is incapacitated for more than a few years, then a bank won't recognize the DPOA or what ? How does one deal with this?
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what is a gifting rider?
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Hi. Check with legal zoom or call the call the state you are legal aid services for that state. God Bless pray you get it resolved.
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Is it necessary to go thru guardianship if you already have DPOA?
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Guardianship gives you more control but it's not a fun process. I'd check with an elder law attorney if you aren't sure what you need.
Good luck,
Carol
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The hospital told me the reason they wanted to go for guardianship is so, in placing dad in a facility - which we ended up not doing anyway, was so he couldn't legally leave, that POA just left him in charge if he decided to do so; wasn't quite sure we wanted to put him in that position anyway, but...
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Hospice, I thought your uncle passed? Do you have another relative in hospice?
My understanding is that the documents would have to be read to know which powers are being assigned. Either way, they are null and void at the passing of the person who assigned the power to another. If you are involved in litigation as a result of the conflict of these documents, you need an attorney.I hope you are able to resolve this issue and move on with your life.
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