Free Louisiana Power of Attorney Forms
Whenever there are business, financial, and other important activities in Louisiana that one cannot attend to, a power of attorney (POA) can be put in place. The contract is a legally binding document that a person (referred to as the principal) prepares so they can authorize an agent or attorney-in-fact to represent them in various transactions.
Here is everything you need to know about Louisiana power of attorney forms.
Louisiana Power of Attorney By Type
What type of POA do you need? The following are the most common types of powers of attorney:
- General Power of Attorney - With a general POA, the principal can provide an agent with broad powers to handle various legal, financial, and business matters. The authority is generally invalidated when the principal is legally declared incompetent. It is an important document should the principal be unavailable to handle certain transactions personally.
- Special Power of Attorney - The document allows the agent to handle specific affairs for the principal. For example, if the principal is away on vacation, the agent can sign documents on the principal’s behalf. Like the general POA, the document loses its power when the principal becomes incapacitated.
- Durable Power of Attorney - To prevent businesses and other legal matters from being put on hold because of a principal’s incapacity, a durable POA is needed. It is a general POA that remains in effect even when the principal has been declared legally incompetent.
- Medical Power of Attorney - The medical POA gives the agent the power to make healthcare decisions on behalf of the principal. The agent will make the final decision on which medications, surgeries, or treatments the principal will have based on the details in the POA. This is also known as a healthcare POA. This type of POA is almost always durable so as not to impede the principal’s healthcare.
How To Get a Power of Attorney in Louisiana
A POA in Louisiana must be in writing. One can go to a local law firm for the drafting of the POA or download a template online. Before personalizing and signing it, the principal must make sure that the form is the right type and according to their needs.
Durable and general POAs must be notarized and witnessed by at least two people. Meanwhile, a notary public is not required for medical POAs.
Louisiana Power of Attorney Laws
Louisiana Civil Code - This code is the main law that people follow when creating and implementing the POA. In the state, the POA is called a mandate, while the agent is referred to as the mandatary (LA Civ Code art. 2989).