The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as legal advice.
WHAT IS A POWER OF ATTORNEY?
A power of attorney is a legal document by which one person, called the principal, gives another person, called his agent, the power to perform specified acts on the principal’s behalf.
WHAT DOES “DURABLE” MEAN?
The word ‘durable’ means the Power of Attorney will still be effective if the principal becomes mentally incapacitated. A Power of Attorney in Connecticut no longer needs to state that “this Power of Attorney shall not be affected by the subsequent disability or incompetence of the principal” or similar words. Since October 1, 2016, all Power of Attorney executed in Connecticut are presumed to be “durable” unless stated otherwise. https://www.
WHY SHOULD I HAVE A POWER OF ATTORNEY?
If you were to become unable to handle your own affairs, a power of attorney gives your agent the power to manage your financial affairs for you as you would prefer. If you became disabled, you might not be able to execute a power of attorney at that time. Under those circumstances, your spouse or your family might have to go to the probate court and seek appointment as a conservator, with the power to manage your financial affairs.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information on Connecticut Law About Power of Attorney’s, see the Connecticut Judicial Law Library website, http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/law/powersofattorney.htm
For more information on living wills and durable power of attorney for health care, see the eLibrary paper “Advance Directives,” http://uwc.211ct.org/advance-directives/.
More detailed information on powers of attorney can be found at Powers of Attorney https://ctlawhelp.org/en/power-of-attorney) on the CTElderLaw website, http://ctlawhelp.org/self-help-guides/elder-law
TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT’S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
Search by service name: Lawyer Referral Services
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SOURCES: Connecticut General Assembly Office; The Connecticut Network for Legal Aid: Frequently Asked Questions About Powers of Attorney
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: August2024