FINANICAL OR "DURABLE" POWER OF ATTORNEY

• What It Does

  • Allows you to designate a trusted person (your "agent") to manage your financial and legal affairs on your behalf.

  • Because the document is "durable," your agent's authority remains in effect even if you become incapacitated, ensuring someone you trust can step in when you need it most.

  • The exact scope of those powers can be custom-tailored to your specific wishes and circumstances. 

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• Key Decisions

  • Who will serve as your agent and as their successor if your first choice is unable to act.

  • Which powers to grant. Texas law allows you to selectively authorize your agent to handle real estate, banking, business operations, insurance, tax matters, retirement accounts, government benefits, litigation, and more.

  • When your agent's authority begins. You can make the document effective immediately upon signing or only upon a physician's determination that you are incapacitated.

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• Information Required to Execute a

  • Full legal names and contact information (phone, mailing address, and email) of the agent and any successor agents.

  • A clear understanding of which financial powers you want to grant.

  • A decision about when the document should take effect.

MEDICAL or healthcare POWER OF ATTORNEY

• What It is

  • Allows you to designate an agent who will make all medical decisions for you in the event of your incapacity.

  • Your agent may consent to, refuse, or withdraw consent to medical treatment on your behalf, including decisions about life-sustaining treatment.

  • Unlike a financial power of attorney, this document applies exclusively to medical care.

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• Key Decisions

  • Who will serve as your agent and as their successor if your first choice is unable to act.

  • Whether to place limitations on your agent's authority. By default, your agent has broad authority over all healthcare decisions, but you may restrict that authority as you see fit.

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• Information You'll Need

  • Full legal names and contact information (phone, mailing address, and email) of the agent and any successor agents.

  • Any specific limitations or instructions you want to place on your agent's authority.

  • A complementary Advanced Healthcare Directive that addresses end-of-life care. 

LIMITED / SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY

• What It is

  • Allows you to authorize an agent to act on your behalf for a specific task or transaction, rather than granting broad authority over all of your affairs.

  • Once the task is completed or the specified time period expires, the agent's authority ends automatically.

  • Common uses include authorizing someone to sign documents at a real estate closing, handle a motor vehicle title transfer, or manage a specific tax matter on your behalf.

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• Key Decisions

  • What authority to grant. The document must clearly and specifically describe the task or transaction your agent is authorized to perform, including any relevant details such as the legal description of a property or the identification of a particular account or asset.

  • How long should the authority last? Most limited powers of attorney include effective and termination dates, and the authority should be no broader than necessary to complete the intended task.

  • Whether to include durable language. If there is any possibility you could become incapacitated before the transaction is completed, you may want the document drafted as a "Special Durable" power of attorney so that your agent's authority is not automatically revoked by law upon your incapacity. 

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• Information You'll Need

  • Full legal names and addresses of the principal and the agent.

  • A detailed description of the specific transaction or task, including property legal descriptions, account numbers, or vehicle identification numbers as applicable.

  • The desired effective date and termination date of the agent's authority.