What are powers of attorney?
What is a Power of Attorney? It is a written legal document, and you must be at least 18 to make one in Alberta. While a personal directive appoints someone else to look after your non-financial matters (such as health), a Power of Attorney appoints someone to look after your financial affairs. You are the donor and you give your authority (power) to another person (attorney) to deal with your property. An ordinary power of attorney stops if the donor becomes mentally disabled. What is an Enduring Power of Attorney? It is a Power of Attorney that allows the powers given to the attorney to continue after the donor becomes mentally disabled. Enduring Powers of Attorney come in two types: one starts immediately, while the other only starts when the donor becomes mentally disabled or when some other specific event (such as infirmity) occurs. This last type is often called a Springing Power of Attorney.
