A general power of attorney is a legal document that lets you (the principal) name an agent, to act for you in financial and legal matters such as your bank accounts, bills and property. Your agent is also called your attorney-in-fact. The form on this page is not durable, so it ends if you become incapacitated. If you need a different kind of power of attorney form, start there.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
Build Your Document
Answer a few simple questions to make your document in minutes
Save and Print
Save progress and finish on any device, download and print anytime
Sign and Use
Your valid, lawyer-approved document is ready
A general power of attorney lets your agent handle a broad range of your financial and legal matters, as far as the document grants them. What your agent can actually do depends on the wording of the form and on your state's law. Medical decisions are not part of this form. They need a separate document, such as a medical power of attorney.
Here are some examples of powers you (the principal) can grant someone else (your agent or attorney-in-fact) in a power of attorney (POA).
You can give someone else the right to manage your real estate, including making changes to the property or buying and selling it on your behalf. That can come with access to the accounts and documents for the real estate the power covers.
When your agent will deal with real estate, the power is usually recorded with the county where the property is, and recorders generally want a notarized signature. Ask the county recorder what it requires.
You can also grant the right to manage other property on your behalf, such as vehicles and other belongings. One power of attorney can cover real estate, other property, or both.
You can give your agent authority to deal with your retirement accounts, such as making contributions or directing withdrawals for your benefit. The form lists retirement plan transactions as one of its powers, and its special instructions spell out retirement and savings accounts in more detail.
A financial power of attorney can include things like the right to make investment choices, manage your financial accounts, pay routine bills and sign checks on your behalf.
The form also lets you choose which financial matters your agent may handle, or create a customized set of privileges and restrictions. This can include:
Give your agent only the powers you want them to have. To change them later, revoke the old power in writing and sign a new one that says it replaces any earlier power of attorney. Depending on the state, a new power of attorney does not cancel an older one unless it says so.
If you are in business for yourself, you can name someone to make business decisions on your behalf, usually when you cannot be reached in time to decide. The form lists business operating transactions as one of the powers you can grant.
Depending on your situation, you may not need this. For instance, employees you have already empowered to make certain business decisions may not also need a power of attorney.
This is not a specific power, but you can name more than one agent, in the same document or in separate ones. Some people split the work, for example by choosing one person for money matters and another for health care decisions under a separate medical document.
Naming several agents also lets you match each agent's role to their strengths. If you do, say in the document whether they must act together or may act separately.
A general power of attorney fits many situations, from handling your money while you travel to letting someone act when you cannot be reached. The circumstances are nearly endless, so here are a few common examples. Check that the powers and the end date in the form match what you need before you sign.
If you want an agent for a set task or a set period of time, with a clear beginning and end, a limited power of attorney may fit better. It helps when you need temporary assistance and do not want to give anyone broad, long-term authority.
For instance, you might give someone the power to sign closing papers for you on one property sale while you are out of town.
In many states, a power of attorney can also start at a later date or when a future event happens. This is called a springing power of attorney. If you use one, say in the document who decides that the event has happened.
A power that is meant to start or keep working when you become incapacitated needs to be durable. The form on this page is not durable.
There are many reasons to name an agent. Here are a few of the most common:
These are only a few of the most common circumstances. If your situation is not listed, a general power of attorney may still cover what you need, depending on the powers you grant.
You can also consult a lawyer if you are not sure whether a POA is what you need or which type of power of attorney is most appropriate.
| Document Name | General Power of Attorney Form |
| Other Names | Financial Power of Attorney, Power of Attorney for Finances |
| Ends when | When you revoke it, when you die, or if you become incapacitated (the form is not durable) |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 10 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 43 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF; Microsoft Word |
This form is not durable. It ends if you become incapacitated, so it will not help you if you lose the ability to manage your own affairs. If you want a power that keeps working then, use a durable power of attorney instead.
Getting a general power of attorney takes five steps. If you already have a lawyer, they can draft one for your situation. Otherwise, you can use the form we provide and fill it out with our document builder. Here is what to do.
1. Choose Your Agent
The first step is to pick your agent. Consider your options carefully, including talking with anyone you are thinking of naming. Make sure they understand why you want to name them and which financial powers you would like to give them.
In many states, an agent accepts the role by agreeing to it or by acting under the power, so talk to your agent before you sign.
2. Decide Between a Custom POA and a Template
Before you give someone POA, you may want to seek legal advice. Decide whether to use a template or have a lawyer draft a custom document for your situation.
Either kind can work as long as it is signed the way your state requires.
3. Fill Out Your POA
Your general power of attorney form asks for your personal information, your agent's personal information, and the powers you grant. You may need to add account details, property information or insurance information, depending on what the powers cover.
4. Sign It the Way Your State Requires
The signing rules depend on your state. Check your state's page in the State-specific Forms list, since the rules differ:
You generally do not file a general power of attorney with a state office. Keep copies for yourself, your agent and your lawyer. If your agent will handle real estate, record the power with the county where the property is.
5. Review It When Things Change
A power of attorney does not usually need to be renewed on a schedule, unless the document sets an end date. Instead, review it when your life changes, for example when you move or when you want to change the powers you grant.
To make a change, revoke the old power in writing and sign a new one. Ask a lawyer if you are not sure how your state handles it.
The steps below follow the FormsPal general power of attorney form, which covers financial matters only. They assume you have already decided between a template and a lawyer. If a lawyer is drafting your document, they will guide you through the matching sections.
1. Choose the Relevant Form
First, make sure you have the right kind of POA form. Some templates are truly general, but most are built for one purpose. You would not use a financial POA template to create a medical power of attorney, for instance.
Our form is geared toward financial powers and is only suitable for naming someone as your financial attorney-in-fact. If you need a power the form does not list, such as rights over a specific vehicle, you can add it in the special instructions.
2. Fill Out Personal Information
At the start of the form is a section for your personal information and your attorney-in-fact's. It asks for your legal name and address and your agent's legal name and address. You can add more information if you like, but it is not necessary.
Make sure both addresses are up to date, and keep them current if either of you moves.
3. Select Financial Powers
Since this form is for financial matters, you select the specific powers you are granting your attorney-in-fact.
Initial the line next to each power you want to grant, or initial the line for all of them. Powers you do not initial are not granted. The form lists these powers:
You can add powers that are not listed in the special instructions.
4. Give Special Instructions
Using a template does not mean you cannot adjust the terms. Our form lets you add powers that are not listed in the special instructions. It also includes three common special instructions that may not always be relevant: one on medical claims and reimbursements, one on retirement and savings accounts, and one on digital assets. You can add instructions or take out the ones you do not need.
Avoid leaving blank space in this area, since text could be added to it after you sign. Cross out any space you do not use.
Unless you know legal language well, ask a lawyer about any changes you make. They may recommend changes or supply the wording you need.
5. Enter Effective and Termination Dates
You will also indicate an effective date on the form. It can take effect immediately or on a date you choose. In the termination section, you choose how the power ends:
This form is not durable, so it ends if you become incapacitated. If you need a power that keeps working then, a durable power of attorney is the document to look at.
6. Indicate a Successor Agent
The last section you fill out yourself lets you name a successor agent, who can act if your first attorney-in-fact cannot.
Like your first agent, this person should be a family member, friend or other trusted person. In many states, a successor acts only if the first agent dies, becomes incapacitated, resigns or cannot act. Say in the document when the successor takes over.
The signing rules depend on your state. Some states require a notary, some accept witnesses, and some want both. Even where a notary is optional, a notarized signature makes it easier for your agent to prove the document is genuine, since banks and county recorders generally want one.
Our form includes a page for a notary public, which only the notary should fill out. It has a line for the notary's signature and a line for a witness signature.
At a minimum, keep a copy and give your agent one. Leave a third copy with your lawyer, or keep it with your last will and testament and other legal documents.
Ending a power of attorney can matter as much as creating one. Depending on the state, it generally stays valid until something ends it. The usual ways it ends are:
One way to end the power is to set a time limit in the original document. You can give both an effective date and an end date, and the power then ends on its own at the end of that period. You can also name an event that ends it, such as the sale of a property or the end of a trip.
You can also end a power of attorney yourself by revoking it in writing, for example with a POA revocation form. The termination section of our form includes a line for a signed written revocation. To make the revocation work in practice:
Depending on the state, a person who acts in good faith without knowing the power ended is protected, so tell people in writing. It is good practice to have the revocation notarized, especially if the original was notarized.
In many states, if your spouse is your agent and a divorce or legal separation is filed, your spouse's authority as agent ends, unless the document says otherwise. The power of attorney itself does not necessarily end, so any other agent you named may still be able to act.
To make sure someone can always act for you, name a successor agent, and consider signing a new power of attorney that names a different agent.
These answers cover common questions about starting, replacing and revoking a general power of attorney. Rules differ by state, so check your state page or ask a lawyer about your case.
Depending on the state, it takes effect when you sign it, unless it names a later date or event. Our form gives you two choices:
A power that starts on a future event is called a springing power of attorney.
Depending on the state, no. A new power of attorney does not cancel an earlier one unless the new document says so. If you mean to replace a power, revoke the old one in writing and say so in the new document.
In many states, an agent accepts the role by agreeing to it or by acting under the power. It is still best to talk to your agent before you sign and to check your state page in the State-specific Forms list for any extra rule.
Depending on the state, a person who acts in good faith without knowing the power ended is protected. So tell your agent and everyone holding a copy, in writing. If you recorded the power, record the revocation too.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
