If you serve in the military, parts of your future may be uncertain. There are decisions about your health care and finances that you will not be able to make if you become incapacitated. There are ways to make sure that someone can handle those decisions if you are unable to.
Powers of attorney (POAs) give someone else the legal right to act on your behalf. You and your spouse (if necessary) will choose which specific matters you want you power of attorney to apply to. Life for a military member and their spouse can be unpredictable. A military POA will provide a little more security in your life.
You lawyer will play an important role in the legal process of declaring a North Carolina military power of attorney. To move forward with this process, contact Breeden Law Office. Powers of attorney have the potential to affect different decisions in your life.
In order for it to be applicable, your POA must have been executed at the proper time. To schedule an initial consultation of your case with a will attorney at our firm, call (919) 661-4970, or submit a request online.
When considering a military power of attorney, the most basic question is how do POAs for military members work? Through a military POA, the person who is enlisted assigns certain legal rights to someone else. The enlisted party chooses an attorney in fact, who will then be entitled to make certain critical legal decisions. The rights associated with a North Carolina military power of attorney can include:
Typically, POAs are utilized by someone in the military when they wish to give authority to complete specific tasks and make specific decisions to a friend or family member while they’re deployed.
By creating a power of attorney for your spouse, parent or a trusted friend, you can address various financial needs while you are deployed:
There is not a single type of power of attorney. There are different kinds of POAs that give the recipient a different level of power and authority. Types of North Carolina military power of attorney include:
Durable Power of Attorney
Durable powers of attorney are effective if the principal (the individual granting the POA) becomes incompetent. For the purposes of a power of attorney, incompetent means unable to manage one’s affairs. Agreements that grant durable power of attorney must contain exact language. They must also be executed before you become incapacitated. If they are not, then no authority will be transferred to anyone upon your incapacitation.
General Power of Attorney
General powers of attorney grant recipients the ability to conduct general business on behalf of the military member granting the POA. Usually, the rights granted under these documents span much broader than those granted under durable POAs. Anyone given authority under a general power of attorney is obligated to act in the best interests of the person who signed the order.
Health Care Power of Attorney
It is possible to grant someone power of attorney regarding your health-related issues as a member of the military. This POA applies if you are incapacitated and cannot make your own health care decisions. The person designated as your health care agent would make those calls. That person would have the right to begin or stop any medical treatment, even if it results in death.
There are several ways a North Carolina military power of attorney can come to an end. The first is by including an agreed end date in your POA agreement. The second-way POAs end is if the party granting the various responsibilities dies. Thirdly, the power of attorney can be revoked in writing by the granting party. The exception to this is if the POA is durable, and you become incompetent. For the time that you are incompetent, only the court can revoke your power of attorney.
In North Carolina, it is possible for a parent to grant power of attorney responsibilities for their child. If you do this, you are not giving up any rights as a parent. You’re simply giving someone the authority to make certain decisions for your child. For example, someone with power of attorney would be able to choose a doctor or dentist for your child. POA agreements for children often involve conclusion dates, making them a useful option if you will be deployed for a certain amount of time.
As you can see, a military power of attorney can be tailored to fit virtually any situation. However, since a power of attorney gives someone the legal right to act on your behalf, you want to make sure you only assign a power of attorney when absolutely necessary, and if possible only for specific events or for a set time frame. It should also only be granted to someone you completely trust.
These are important things to consider and it’s always best to discuss all your options with an impartial, yet highly knowledgeable legal professional. A lawyer can review your circumstances, evaluate how to put a plan in place that meets all your needs, and can create a power of attorney that reduces unnecessary financial risk and exposure.
The process of drafting a POA document and ensuring it details exactly what you want it to can be complicated. When you’re considering a POA while you serve in the military, reach out to attorney Jonathan Breeden at Breeden Law Office. With years of experience in this area, he’s prepared to help you. Don’t wait until it’s too late – schedule your case consultation online, or by calling (919) 661-4970.
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