Pennsylvania Power of Attorney Requirements The POA must be signed by two witnesses in the presence of a notary. Witnesses must be at least 18 years of age and cannot be the person signing on behalf of the principal, a designated agent on the document or the notary. See the Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care FAQs for more information on using a durable power of attorney to plan your future health care. It is often more convenient to have two separate powers of attorney, one for financial obligations and one for health care decisions.
With a power of attorney, an agent is often entrusted with important decisions, and the agent may have access to some or all of his assets. If the agent is not trusted, serious problems can arise. For example, if the agent is dishonest and runs away with his money, it may be difficult or impossible to get the money back. Giving someone a power of attorney does not prevent them from making decisions or conducting business on their own.
If you and the agent disagree, your decision governs. This means that decisions are announced at the same time. If an agent has decided to sell a property item and has sold it, their subsequent announcement that they do not want to sell it does not void the sale. You can grant power of attorney to two or more people at the same time, or you can appoint a second agent to take over in specific circumstances (such as the death of the first agent).
No power of attorney document is legally binding before it is signed and executed in accordance with the laws of your state. This means that no agent can make decisions on your behalf before the POA document goes into effect. You must also be in your right mind when you appoint an agent. You can see more information about creating a power of attorney in the following infographic.
A POA in Pennsylvania must be dated, signed by the principal, witnessed by two adults and notarized. Some institutions or individuals may doubt the validity of a power of attorney that has not been notarized and may refuse to respect it. Obtaining a power of attorney in Pennsylvania is not as easy as in some states, because the Pennsylvania legislature has not created a form for a financial power of attorney. There are many good reasons to make a power of attorney, as it ensures that someone will take care of your financial affairs if you become incapacitated.
In many situations, a financial power of attorney authorizes an agent to sell a property on behalf of the principal (the person who made the power of attorney). In addition to the power of your agent to make donations on your behalf, many powers of your agent are in fact governed by state law. A power of attorney allows someone else to handle financial or health care matters on your behalf, and California has specific rules about types and requirements. In this situation, the agent will sign the deed of ownership on behalf of the principal, and the power of attorney will be recorded in the corresponding real estate records, together with the deed.
When you sign as a power of attorney for someone, you should be aware that you are legally signing on their behalf. In Pennsylvania, most powers of attorney must contain specific language, such as a notice to the principal, to be valid. You must specify in the power of attorney document which powers you are granting to your agent and when those powers will come into effect. Because a power of attorney is one of the most important legal documents you can have, it's important to know if you want a durable or regular power of attorney.
You should also notify your bank, doctor, or anyone else who has received a copy of your power of attorney. In an effort to comply with best practices, documents signed with a power of attorney must be accompanied by the original POA that will be recorded at the same time, or a book and page must be included in the document, or a copy of the POA must be recorded as an attachment to the document. However, generally, your agent should not need to present the power of attorney when signing checks on your behalf. A power of attorney is a legal document that involves the agent or agent and the principal.
If no land is to be treated, it is not legally necessary to sign a power of attorney in front of a notary or have it registered, but notarization may be prudent. . .
