What is general Power of Attorney? Is it a financial or health POA?

It depends what it says on the relevant document.

POA is often used loosely as a general term indicating that someone has the authority to act for someone else.

It is technically true that anyone can give a power of attorney to anyone else to do anything he wants done. Say I'm going to be out of the country for three months, so I want you to pay my household bills - the gardener's wages, the utilities, repair bills if the roof blows off. I write to my bank formally giving you power of attorney to sign my cheques up to £x limited to xxx payees from June to September 2017. Whatever. It isn't often needed in modern day life, when almost everything can be done online from almost everywhere.

In the context of elder care, though, there are very specific and exact types of Power of Attorney; and it is very important to be clear about which is which, and which is relevant to / needed by your particular person.

It is extremely important to understand that any kind of  POA can *only* be created by a person who is of sound mind. You have to be a competent adult, able to understand fully what you are doing and what its implications are, to give this very powerful authority and position of trust to somebody else. You will often, alas, hear loose talk of someone having POA "over" their loved one. Not at all: you have power of attorney FOR someone else, not over them. You act on their behalf when they cannot. It is not an invitation to relish controlling them or their affairs.

In the US, as I understand it, to have things in place in case your loved one should become incapacitated, you would want to have a springing Durable Power of Attorney for Finances; and a Healthcare Proxy to enable you to make medical and healthcare decisions. Neither of these types of POA would override your loved one's wishes as long as your loved one has capacity - the ability to understand situations and make his or her own decisions. However, either could be used with your LO's consent to allow you to carry on business on his/her behalf - helpful if you're dealing with banks, facilities and so on.

I should really have asked this first - what leads you to ask about them?

Thanks for the info Countrymouse. I asked this question because my father has dementia and is very frail and unable to attend an appointment he has with H&R Block to get his taxes done. I am going to have to take care of it myself and I have a POA. I hope I don't run into any problems with getting his taxes done.

Gosh.

You shouldn't have any difficulties acting for your father as long as your POA is properly drawn up. It might be worth calling ahead and asking them if they need any supporting documentation and, if so, what. You can't be the first client they've ever encountered who's been through this, so they should be able to advise you. Are you confident that you also have all his financial paperwork in order?

Do you have any formal certification that your father has lost capacity (if he has)? The procedures for that seem to vary; but again you could ask advice. The lawyer who drew up the POA, your local social services for older adults, or even searching online - you should be able to find out without too much difficulty. Or it might even say on your POA documents.

Anyway, best of luck with it. I hope people prove more helpful than obstructive - think positive! And, to repeat, you're not the first, and there will be a way round.

My tax preparer e-files so there are no tax forms to sign. I have been bringing her Mom's taxes for prep for years and I have never been asked for a copy of the POA. I have it but have never been asked to produce it. Come to think of it, it is scary how many places take my word for it and don't ask for a copy.