Free Iowa Power of Attorney Form PDF (General Financial)
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An Iowa general power of attorney is a written document in which a person, the principal, names an agent (also called an attorney-in-fact) to handle financial and legal matters. Unlike a limited form, it gives the agent broad powers. The form states that it does not authorize health-care decisions. Download the free Iowa power of attorney form PDF below, or fill it out online first.
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The requirements for creating a power of attorney in Iowa are in Chapter 633B of the Iowa Code. An Iowa power of attorney must be signed by the principal, or by another person at the principal's direction. It must also be acknowledged before a notary public or another individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.[1]
Signed by the principal. Another individual may sign the principal's name instead, but only in the principal's conscious presence and at the principal's direction, and that individual cannot be a prospective agent.[1]
Acknowledged. The signature must be acknowledged before a notary public or another individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.[1]
Not notarized by the agent. An agent named in the power of attorney may not notarize the principal's signature.[1]
Presumed genuine. An acknowledged signature on a power of attorney is presumed to be genuine.[1]
Effective when signed, unless the document says otherwise. The principal may provide that it becomes effective at a future date or when a future event or contingency occurs.[2]
The signing steps in the right order are in the signing section below.
How to Fill Out the Iowa General Power of Attorney Form
The Iowa general power of attorney form has five form pages and 41 fillable fields. Create it online with the builder above, or download the PDF. Then work through the pages in order: the principal and agent, the powers you grant, the effective and termination dates, the successor agent and the signature. The notary completes the last page.
The screenshots under each step show the FormsPal Iowa general power of attorney template filled with sample entries in blue, so you can see where each answer goes. The names, addresses, dates and amounts are examples only.
Principal and agent. On page 1, enter your name and address after "I," and then the agent's name and address in the appointment lines. The agent is the person the form calls your attorney-in-fact.Step 1: sample entries, not a real document.
Initial the powers (A) to (K). On page 2, initial the line in front of each power you are granting, from (A) Real property transactions to (K) Benefits from social security, medicare, medicaid, or other governmental programs. Leave a line blank to withhold that power.Step 2: sample entries, not a real document.
Initial powers (L), (M) and (N). Initial (L) Retirement plan transactions and (M) Tax matters if you want to grant them. To grant every power, initial (N) All of the powers listed above. The form says no other line needs initials if you initial (N). Special Instructions 1 to 3 are printed below and have no blank lines.Step 3: sample entries, not a real document.
Effective date. On page 3, initial one line, either the one for the power to begin right away or the one for it to begin on a date. If you pick the date, fill in the date and the year.Step 4: sample entries, not a real document.
Termination date: written revocation. The Termination Date block says to initial one line. Initial the first line if the power of attorney should end when you have signed a written revocation.Step 5: sample entries, not a real document.
Termination date: a set date or incapacity. Or initial the line that ends the power of attorney on a date, and fill in the date and the year. The other choice ends it when you are determined to be incapacitated. The form defines incapacitated at the bottom of page 3 and the top of page 4.Step 6: sample entries, not a real document.
Successor attorney-in-fact. On page 4, enter the agent's name again, then the alternate agent's name and address. The alternate steps in if the agent is unable or unwilling to serve. The paragraph on more than one agent above it is printed text with nothing to fill in.Step 7: sample entries, not a real document.
Date and sign. Fill in the day, month and year after "Signed this". Sign above the line marked (signature) and print your name above (printed name). Page 5 holds the notary's acknowledgment.Step 8: sample entries, not a real document.
Acknowledgment: county, date and officer. On page 5, the notary or other officer completes the Iowa acknowledgment: the county, the date, the officer's name and title, and your name as the person who appeared.Step 9: sample entries, not a real document.
Notary signature and seal. The notary or officer signs on the Signature line and adds the official seal where the form shows (seal).Step 10: sample entries, not a real document.
How to Sign and Use the Iowa General Power of Attorney
After you fill out the form, the signing steps matter as much as the answers. In Iowa, the principal signs the power of attorney and has the signature acknowledged before a notary public or another individual authorized to take acknowledgments. The agent named in the document cannot act as that notary.[1] Follow these steps in order.
Sign the form: You sign it yourself. Another individual may sign your name instead, but only in your conscious presence and at your direction, and never someone who is a prospective agent.[1]
Have your signature acknowledged: Take the signed form to a notary public or another individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments. The notary completes the acknowledgment on page 5 of the form.[1]
Know how your agent accepts: Unless the document says otherwise, a person accepts appointment as an agent by exercising authority or performing duties as an agent, or by any other assertion or conduct indicating acceptance.[4]
Share and store it: Give your agent a copy and keep the original in a safe place. Tell a close family member or your attorney where the original is kept.
Review it when life changes: Marriage, divorce or the death of your agent are good reasons to look at the document again and decide whether to replace it.
An Iowa power of attorney does not last forever. Under Iowa's power of attorney statute, one list of events ends the document itself, and a separate list ends only the agent's authority. Check both lists before you rely on an old document or tell your agent that the authority has ended.[3] A power of attorney terminates when:
The power of attorney provides that it terminates.[3]
The purpose of the power of attorney is accomplished.[3]
The principal revokes the agent's authority, or the agent dies, becomes incapacitated, or resigns, and the power of attorney does not provide for another agent to act.[3]
The agent dies, becomes incapacitated, or resigns.[3]
An action is filed for the dissolution or annulment of the agent's marriage to the principal, or for their legal separation, unless the power of attorney provides otherwise.[3]
The agent is named as having abused the principal in a founded dependent adult abuse report.[3]
The agent is convicted of dependent adult abuse for having abused the principal.[3]
The form also has its own termination choices on page 3, which you initial when you fill it out. Read them before you sign, since they are part of the document your agent will rely on.
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Frequently Asked Questions
These short answers cover six common questions about signing, starting, replacing and ending an Iowa general power of attorney. Each answer follows the text of Iowa's power of attorney law, and the sources are listed at the end of the page. The topics are:
Notarization
Who may not notarize
The start date
Replacing an older power of attorney
Expiry over time
Acts done without knowing the document ended
Does an Iowa power of attorney need to be notarized?
Yes. An Iowa power of attorney must be acknowledged before a notary public or another individual authorized by law to take acknowledgments.[1]
Can the agent notarize the principal's signature in Iowa?
No. An agent named in the power of attorney may not notarize the principal's signature.[1]
When does an Iowa power of attorney take effect?
It takes effect when it is signed, unless the principal provides in the document that it becomes effective at a future date or when a future event or contingency occurs.[2]
Does a new power of attorney cancel an older one in Iowa?
Often yes. Except as provided in section 633B.103 of the Iowa Code, signing a general power of attorney revokes all general power of attorney documents the principal signed earlier in Iowa. It does not revoke a power of attorney limited to a specific action or transaction that the agent has not yet fully completed and that can still be carried out.[3]
Does an Iowa power of attorney expire after a set time?
Not on its own. Unless the document says otherwise, the agent's authority stays exercisable until it terminates, however much time has passed since the document was signed.[3]
Is an act valid if the agent did not know the power of attorney ended?
Often yes. Ending the power of attorney or the agent's authority is not effective as to an agent or another person who acts in good faith without actual knowledge of it. The same is true when the principal of a power of attorney that is not durable becomes incapacitated. Unless the act is otherwise invalid or unenforceable, it binds the principal and the principal's successors in interest.[3]
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources
Unless noted otherwise, the sources below are from the Iowa Code.
Mara has been practicing estate planning and trust law in California since 2003, taking pride in helping clients of all backgrounds and asset profiles form a complete and customized estate plan. Her specialties are: estate planning, wills and trusts, trust and probate administration.
