The Pros And Cons Of The Power Of Attorney Having somebody take care of your business dealings can be real nice. Just think about it. You don t have to go to your business meeting in say Uganda to sign documents. You can just send a representative with the power of attorney and that person can sign the contract for you. In the durable power of attorney, you are acknowledging the possibility that you could become mentally or totally incompetent because of any accident or illness. For this power of attorney to take effect there has to be a genuine certification from a doctor to prove the incompetence. In every power of attorney you would get into, it is always important to make sure you are choosing and agent or an attorney-in-fact who is very trustworthy and reliable. As the principal, you have the power to decide the amount of authority you will grant to your agent. You can appoint him or her to manage most of your financial and personal affairs or to handle only a specific aspect of your life. The laws regarding power of attorney vary from one state to another. However, a number of guidelines are common among states, and these rules must be strictly observed by both the principal and the agent. Durable - It grants the agent the right to act on the principal s behalf even after he or she has become mentally incapacitated. Thus, the agent can make crucial decisions for you when you are unable to do so. The document takes effect right after the principal and attorney-in-fact have signed it, and it ends when the principal dies. It is important to consider an agent that has the ability to manage the principal s property and legal matters. The agent is showing problems with managing their own finances, then it may not be a good idea to trust your own finances to them. Work experience. It may be important to choose an agent or an attorney-in-fact that has experience or level of expertise in finances or in legal matters. It grants the agent the right to decide on what to do with the principal s remains after his or her death, as well as donate the organs for educational, scientific, or transplant purposes. What if I have not appointed someone as an agent to oversee of my health care, you might ask. If nobody has powers of attorney to act on your behalf and you are already unconscious or mentally incapable, the courts will assign someone to make health care decisions for you.