Free Washington Power of Attorney Forms
A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows a person to make financial, legal, and healthcare decisions on behalf of another. The decision-maker is known as the agent or attorney-in-fact, while the person empowering them is called the principal.
Some individuals may not be available to decide on certain personal matters because they are out of town or indisposed. Other times, the document is necessary because the principal has become incapacitated.
Washington Power of Attorney By Type
A POA acts as written permission for the agent to decide on various matters on behalf of the principal. Here are the most basic types.
- General Power of Attorney - refers to the document that allows the agent to decide on business, financial, and legal matters on behalf of the principal. Healthcare decisions are excluded from this type of POA. The authority of a general POA expires when the person becomes incapacitated.
- Durable Power of Attorney - the authority granted by most POAs ends when the principal is declared mentally incompetent. However, if the POA is durable, the agent can continue to make business and legal decisions until the end of the principal’s life.
- Healthcare Power of Attorney - also known as medical POA, the document allows the agent to make medical or healthcare decisions on behalf of the principal. These decisions may involve the principal’s medications, treatments, procedures, end-of-life care, and more. It is almost always durable so that continuity of healthcare isn’t interrupted.
- Special Power of Attorney - a document where the agent can only act on specific matters that are noted in the POA form. The power expires when the act has been completed. If the principal becomes mentally incapacitated before its completion, the special POA loses its power.
How To Get a Power of Attorney in Washington
You can ask a lawyer or law firm in the state to create the legal document for you. Another option is to download the Washington POA template online, fill it out, and sign it.
In order to make it legally binding, the state usually requires notarization and the signatures of at least two witnesses.
Washington Power of Attorney Laws
The Uniform Power of Attorney Act is a chapter in the Washington State Legislature that outlines the creation and implementation of POAs. It states that the authority granted is terminated when the principal becomes mentally incompetent unless it contains the following words: “This power of attorney shall not be affected by disability of the principal” (WA Rev Code § 11.125.040).