With a power of attorney, you are choosing someone who has the legal authority to act on your behalf. This person is known as your agent. The power of attorney may say that they get to make your medical decisions, for instance, or your financial decisions.
As such, you know that it is very important to choose the right person to be your agent. They are going to take over when you need them, such as when you become incapacitated. If you have a stroke, your medical agent can tell your doctors what type of treatment you have approved. If you are suffering from Alzheimer’s, your agent can make legal or financial decisions, handling the realities of your estate if you are not able to do so on your own. So what qualities should you look for?
Integrity and trust
Many people are often tempted to look for someone who has a specific technical background. Maybe they want to choose a doctor or a nurse to be their agent in a medical power of attorney, for instance, or they want to select someone who has an in-depth financial education, such as a degree in accounting, to handle their financial decisions.
These qualities can be helpful, and you do need someone who understands the technicalities of the decisions they will be making and the importance of doing the right thing. But often, the main quality you want to look for is simply integrity. You need someone you trust to put your best interests first, to take these decisions seriously, and to make the best possible choices when necessary. You also need to trust them to be available and willing to do this when needed, as you could become incapacitated very suddenly and unexpectedly.
Once you find someone you know you can trust with such an important responsibility, it is time to look into the legal steps that are necessary to draft your estate plan.