Medical Power Of Attorney Hide Signature For Free

A medical power of attorney or healthcare proxy designates an individual to make medical decisions for you when you no longer have the capacity to do so.

Powers of attorney (POA) can be helpful to older people and others who want to choose a trusted person to act on their behalf when they cannot. You can plan ahead by creating a POA to appoint a substitute decision-maker, also called an agent.

A medical or health care power of attorney is a type of advance directive in which you name a person to make decisions for you when you are unable to do so. In some states this directive may also be called a durable power of attorney for health care or a health care proxy.

A healthcare power of attorney (HCPA) is a legal document that allows an individual to empower another person to make decisions about their medical care. A healthcare power of attorney refers to both a legal document and a specific person with legal authority.

Unless the power of attorney is to be used immediately, the original should always be retained by the principal in a safe place. The agent should be advised that he or she has been named as agent and should also be advised as to the location of the original and the number of originals that have been signed.

It is often more convenient to have two separate Powers of Attorney -- one for financial duties and one for health care decisions.

This should be a person or persons you trust to make decisions for you. Fill out the forms and have your signature witnessed, as your state requires. Give copies to your family, your doctor and your healthcare agent.

The proper way to sign as an agent is to first sign the principal's full legal name, then write the word by, and then sign your name. You may also want to show that you are signing as an agent by writing after the signature: Agent, Attorney in Fact, Power of Attorney, or POA.

A power of attorney allows one person to give legal authority to another person to act on their behalf. A financial power of attorney authorizes an individual to make financial decisions, while a medical power of attorney allows for someone to make medical decisions.

If the person still refuses to sign a power of attorney, you could suggest that they consider signing standby conservatorship and/or guardianship papers instead. These documents would allow them to choose who they would want to make financial or healthcare decisions for them.