Florida Power of Attorney

Laws Regarding Florida Power of Attorney Agreements

Florida power of attorney forms authorize your chosen agent to act on your behalf if you were unable to make legal, financial or business decisions. Knowing the laws regarding power of attorney agreements in Florida is important.

Power of Attorney in 3 Easy Steps!

By signing a power of attorney, you give another person to sign legal forms or sales contracts for you and even access your bank accounts to pay bills and make investments. Giving a person this authority can be risky. Make sure you trust the person fully and consider a limited power of attorney offering terms that they must follow.

When your power of attorney agent signs for you, it is recommended that they sign their name and follow it with “Attorney-in-Fact for...” This helps ensure any third party understands the decision was made under a power of attorney.

Various Florida Power of Attorney Laws

Florida power of attorney laws authorize an agent to continue performing duties that the agent was doing while the principle was alive providing he is willing to sign an affidavit stating he was unaware at the time that the principle had passed away. Upon notice of death, the power of attorney agent should stop performing any of his duties because that revokes the FL power of attorney agreement.

If the principle disappears, such as wanders off and is afflicted with Alzheimer's, the power of attorney agent continues performing his duties as normal until the principle is located. A power of attorney agent cannot sell the principle's home for a period of one year after becoming attorney in fact if the principle goes missing.

To end a power of attorney agreement, the principle must write a letter stating he is revoking the attorney in fact's power of attorney and have the statement witnessed by two people.

Illegal Florida Power of Attorney Actions

While a Florida power of attorney can sign documents, transfer funds and handle stock sales for you, there are things they cannot legally perform. If you witness a car accident, your power of attorney cannot fill out the witness statement for you. The FL power of attorney also cannot fill out an accident report for you if you are personally involved in an accident.

Your power of attorney agent cannot fill out or change your will. Nor can the agent vote in your place in a state or national election.

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