Power of Attorney (POA)
A written authority that lets another person act for you, in one specific matter or in your affairs in general, with the signing form your country uses.
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Country versions
- International
- United States *
- United Kingdom *
- Korea *
- Japan *
- Germany *
* check with local advice
A template, not advice.
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What it is
A power of attorney is a written authority by which one person, the principal, lets another, the agent, act for them: sign papers, collect documents, deal with an office or a bank, close a sale, pay a bill. It transfers nothing by itself. It lets the agent speak and sign for you, and the people the agent deals with can rely on it.
How much authority you give is the main decision. A power for a specific matter names the matter and ends when it is done or on a date you set. A general power covers your personal and property affairs and carries much more risk, so it belongs with a trusted agent and with limits. This form lets you choose either, tick the individual powers, add limits, set an end date and say whether the agent may appoint a substitute.
The country selector changes how the document is signed, not only its words. The US version is durable and has a notary block. The UK version is a deed signed before a witness, with the statutory wording of section 10. The Korean 위임장 and the Japanese 委任状 are short documents with a seal and a seal certificate. The German Vollmacht adds the exemption from section 181 of the Civil Code and explains which offices want a certified signature.
When to use it
- You cannot attend an office, a bank or a closing in person and need someone to go for you.
- You are buying, selling or renting property away from where you live and a trusted person will sign.
- You will be away or unwell for a while and want someone to handle post, bills and official matters.
- An office has asked for a signed authority before it will talk to your representative.
How to fill it in
- Choose your country first; the signing section changes with it.
- Enter the principal (your own details come from your saved details) and the agent.
- Choose a specific matter or a general power. For a specific matter, describe it so exactly that a stranger can tell what is covered.
- Tick the powers the agent should have and add limits, such as a top amount or property that may not be sold.
- Set the start date and, if you can, an end date. Tick the durable, substitute and witness options where they are offered.
- Print it, sign it the way your country requires (notary, witness, seal and certificate) and give the original to the agent. Keep a copy.
Common mistakes
- Describing the matter so vaguely that the receiving office cannot tell what is covered.
- Signing a blank or half-empty power of attorney.
- Giving a general power when a specific one would do.
- Forgetting the signing form your country needs: notary, witness, seal certificate.
- Not asking the bank or office beforehand; many accept only their own form.
- Never revoking the power when it is no longer needed, or not asking for the original back.
Steps at a glance
- Fill in
- Check the preview
- Save as PDF, Word or Excel
Country versions
Pick the country you need. Each version uses the wording and layout commonly found there; a version marked “check with local advice” should be read by someone who knows the local rules before it is used.
- International (XX): Written in English, Korean, Japanese, German
- United States (US): Written in English – check with local advice
- United Kingdom (GB): Written in English – check with local advice
- Korea (KR): Written in Korean, English – check with local advice
- Japan (JP): Written in Japanese, English – check with local advice
- Germany (DE): Written in German, English – check with local advice
Designs
The same form in several designs. The fields and the wording stay the same; only the look changes.
- Formal
- Executive
- Classic
- Plain (black and white)
- Minimal
- Ledger
- Modern
- Compact
- Side band
- Warm
- Boxed form
- Banner
Your details fill it in
Fields that ask for your name, address or company details are filled from My details, so you do not type them again; you can still change any field for one form. Signed in, your details stay in your account; otherwise they stay in this browser only. A passport, identity or social security number is never saved.
Questions
- Does a power of attorney continue if I lose capacity?
- It depends on the country. In the US a durable power of attorney continues. An ordinary UK power of attorney stops when the principal loses mental capacity, and a Lasting Power of Attorney is needed instead. A German Vollmacht does not end by itself when the principal loses capacity. In Korea and Japan the authority ends, among other cases, on the principal's death. Use the durable option only where it means something in your country.
- Can the agent give gifts or sell my house?
- Only if the document says so. This form leaves out gifts, wills, trusts, guarantees of another person's debts and health care decisions unless you add them in the "further powers" box. Selling a house needs a precise description and often a notarised or certified signature, so ask the office that will receive it.
- Who should I choose as the agent?
- Someone you trust, who is of age, can be reached and has no conflict of interest in the matter. For a complex or high-value matter a lawyer or another professional may be the better agent. Whoever you choose should know what is expected: acting in your interest, keeping records and keeping your money apart from theirs.
- How do I cancel it?
- Tell the agent in writing that you revoke it, tell everyone who has a copy or relied on it, and ask for the original back. In some countries a power of attorney recorded in a register also has to be cancelled there.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. It is a general template. The rules on form, witnesses and recognition differ by country and by the office that receives the document, so check them first and have an adviser review anything that involves property or large sums.
- Is this form legal, tax or accounting advice?
- No. It is a template: it gives you the usual structure and wording, not advice. Rules differ by country and case, so have someone qualified read anything that matters before you sign, send or file it.
- Which countries and designs does it come in?
- It comes in 6 country versions: International, United States, United Kingdom, Korea, Japan, and Germany. 12 designs.
A form is a template, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules differ by country and case.