A Wisconsin durable power of attorney is a written document that lets you, the principal, appoint an agent to manage your finances and property. It takes effect immediately unless you say otherwise, and unlike an ordinary power of attorney, it stays in effect even if you later become incapacitated.
The principal can assign expansive or specific powers to their agent in this durable POA form, covering bank accounts, real estate, investments, and other financial matters. It does not authorize the agent to make health care decisions for you.
Choose someone financially responsible and available, such as a spouse, adult child, relative, or close friend. Check the up-to-date Wisconsin POA forms to confirm you are using the right document for your situation.
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Last Updated: September 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current Wisconsin law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
Wisconsin law sets specific signing rules for a durable power of attorney under Wis. Stat. Section 244.05. The principal must sign the document, or direct another adult to sign it for them in the principal's presence.[2]
A power of attorney created under this chapter is durable unless it expressly provides that it is terminated by the incapacity of the principal.
The signature is presumed genuine if the principal acknowledges it before a notarial officer.[2] It can also be presumed genuine through remote witnessing.
Two witnesses join by two-way, real-time audiovisual technology, and an attorney licensed in Wisconsin supervises the signing. That attorney may serve as one of the two witnesses.[2] The remote procedure has these conditions:
Under Wis. Stat. Section 244.10, this power of attorney ends when the principal revokes it, when its purpose is fully accomplished, or when the document's own terms provide for termination.[3] It can also end on the principal's incapacity, but only if the document itself says so.[3]
Wisconsin also publishes an optional statutory form power of attorney for finances and property under Section 244.61, though you are not required to use it.[4]
A few additional rules govern how this power of attorney or your agent's authority can end. Wisconsin law lists the following triggers and safeguards:[3]
| Document Name | Wisconsin Durable Power of Attorney Form |
| Other Names | Wisconsin Financial Durable Power of Attorney, WI DPOA |
| Relevant Laws | Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations, Section 244.05 |
| Signing Requirements | Notarization, or two remote witnesses with attorney supervision |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 10 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 37 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
This document also goes by WI DPOA or Wisconsin financial power of attorney. Whichever name you see, it refers to the same durable, finances-only power of attorney described on this page.
Popular Local Durable POA Forms
Durable POA documents are used in each and every state. Take a look at other popular DPOA forms frequently filled out by Americans.
Filling out the Wisconsin durable power of attorney for finances and property takes about 10 minutes. Follow the form in order, from the opening paragraph to the signature and notary steps on the last page. The eight steps below are:
Fill in your name and address as the principal, then your agent's name and address in the opening paragraph.
Initial (N) to grant all listed powers, or initial only the specific lettered powers, such as real property, banking, or taxes, that you want your agent to have.
Wisconsin's own statutory power of attorney form spells out one important limit. An agent who is not your spouse or domestic partner cannot use your property to benefit themselves or someone they owe support to.[4] You can allow it anyway if you say so in the Special Instructions.
Review the pre-printed instructions about HIPAA authorization, insurance claims, retirement plans, and digital assets, then add any further limits you want in the Special Instructions section.
Initial one of three choices for when it takes effect. It can start immediately and survive your incapacity, start on a stated date, or start only once you become incapacitated.
If you named more than one agent, review the paragraph on how co-agents must act, together or independently, before signing.
Provide the name and address of a successor agent who can step in if your primary agent is unable or unwilling to serve.
Fill in the day, month, and year, then sign the document and print your name.
Sign the notary acknowledgment in front of a notary. The notary's seal and signature help make your signature presumed genuine.[2] Then give copies to your agent, successor agent, and any bank or institution that may need one. Keep a copy in a secure place and tell trusted family members or advisors that it exists.
Download the Wisconsin durable power of attorney form below as a free, ready-to-fill Adobe PDF. It covers all 37 fields from the steps above, from naming your agent to signing before a notary. Print it and fill it in by hand, or complete it first using FormsPal's guided online builder, then sign and have it notarized.
This page is general information about Wisconsin durable power of attorneys, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, talk to a Wisconsin attorney.
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Wis. Stat..