Craig Lundquist and Kristin Becker photo
Ideal Wealth Advisors logo

Craig Lundquist, MBA, ChFC®, CRPC®

VP of Wealth Management

craig.lundquist@lpl.com

651-773-2757

 

Kristin Becker

Senior Administrative Assistant

kristin.becker@lpl.com

651-773-2821

 

Ideal Wealth Advisors

Located at Ideal Credit Union

8499 Tamarack Road

Woodbury, MN 55125

 

CRPC conferred by College for Financial Planning

July/August 2023

Estate Planning Basics: Financial Power of Attorney

Woman Helping Senior Neighbor With Paperwork

You probably know that your most important estate planning document is your will. Your will specifies how you want your property distributed after your death and names a guardian for any minor children you have. But there are other documents you should consider in your estate planning, including a financial power of attorney.


What Is It?
A financial power of attorney gives a person you name — your agent — the power to make financial decisions for you. It’s typically used if you become incapacitated and can’t make these decisions for yourself. You generally have two options for when a power of attorney will take effect.

  • Immediately. Your agent, often your spouse, can act on your behalf in financial matters even if you’re not incapacitated. This may be an option if you’re not always available to conduct financial transactions due to travel or other events that take you away from home.

  • Tied to an event. Your agent can act only after a triggering event, such as becoming incapacitated and/or unable to communicate. Generally, one or more doctors must certify that you’re physically or mentally unable to make decisions for yourself. A durable power of attorney generally remains in effect for the duration of your incapacity.


Establishing Limits
You can give your agent unlimited authority over your finances or to confine the agent’s powers to specific tasks. Some tasks an agent can perform include investing, selling assets, collecting retirement benefits, paying bills, operating a business, logging into financial accounts, managing real estate, and buying insurance.


Naming an Agent
The person you designate must be over age 18, and the document must be signed in front of a notary. Many financial institutions require their own forms. Typically, a power of attorney ends when you die; you revoke the PoA; a court rules it invalid; or the agent is unable to fulfill the duties.

Make sure you avoid these common errors when designating a power of attorney: failing to name a successor agent, granting powers that are too broad, and failing to notify a prior agent if you appoint a new PoA.

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Securities and advisory services are offered through LPL Financial (LPL), a registered investment advisor and broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC). Insurance products are offered through LPL or its licensed affiliates. Ideal Credit Union and Ideal Wealth Advisors are not registered as a broker/dealer or investment advisor. Registered representatives of LPL offer products and services using Ideal Wealth Advisors, and may also be employees of Ideal Credit Union. These products and services are being offered through LPL or its affiliates, which are separate entities from and not affiliates of Ideal Credit Union or Ideal Wealth Advisors. Securities and insurance offered through LPL or its affiliates are:

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