Start an Iowa Power of Attorney (POA) form now to appoint a trusted individual to manage your estate, act for you professionally, or make medical decisions on your behalf.
Last Update May 3rd, 2023
Fill forms in a few steps
Save, print, and download
Done in 5 minutes
- Types of Power of Attorney in Iowa
- How to Get a Power of Attorney in Iowa
- Iowa Power of Attorney Requirements
- Iowa Power of Attorney Sample
- FAQs About Iowa Power of Attorney Forms
Download our professional examples
Types of Power of Attorney in Iowa
Before starting anIA Power of Attorney, it is critical to know what type of POA to create. There are many different varieties of these legal instruments and each grants different kinds of powers from a Principal to an Agent or Attorney-in-Fact.
The most common variants available in Iowa include the following examples:
| Type of POA | Uses | Usable After Incapacity? |
|---|---|---|
| Durable | A durable POA allows an Agent to manage your estate for you at all times, even if you fall unconscious or become medically incapacitated. | Yes |
| Limited | Limited POAs grant an Agent responsibility over specific, normally one-off, tasks. These forms are usually time limited, only giving your representative authority for a short period of time. | Yes (if durable) |
| Medical | Medical POAs allow you to delegate important healthcare decisions to your Agent. This can then be used when urgent choices regarding treatment need to be made when you’re unconscious. | Yes |
| Real Estate | Real Estate POAs let your Agent manage tasks related to the buying and selling of property on your behalf. | Yes (if durable) |
| Vehicle (DMV) | Using a Vehicle POA allows an Agent to buy and sell vehicles for you and to manage other ownership tasks such as registering titles with the DMV and updating official documentation. | Yes (if durable) |
| Springing | A Springing POA allows an Agent to act for you when certain conditions or criteria occur. For example: the Power of Attorney may only become active if you are unconscious or are unavailable for a period of time. | Yes (if durable) |
| Minor (Child) | With a Minor POA, you can delegate your parental rights over a child to your Agent temporarily. This might be necessary if you are seriously ill, serving in the military or have to travel for work purposes. | Yes (if durable) |
| Tax | With a Tax POA, your Agent may represent you and sign documents on your behalf at the local IA tax office. | Yes (if durable) |
How to Get a Power of Attorney in Iowa
It’s relatively easy to create a Power of Attorney in Iowa. This process can be fully handled online using our comprehensive legal document maker.
When completing the IA POA with our tools, you’ll be guided expertly through each step of the process, so you comply with all the necessary laws in Iowa. You’ll then be able to print off and sign the completed document and put it into action.
Another option for getting an Iowa Power of Attorney prepared by a local legal office or lawyer. This, however, can take longer and usually turns out more expensive.
Iowa Power of Attorney Requirements
To comply with IA law you’ll need to complete your Power of Attorney form and ensure that it is correctly signed. There are a number of rules that control how this should be done.
Firstly, the people signing the POA must all be legally able to sign a contract. This means they should be able to demonstrate that:
They are over 18 years old
They are sound of mind
They understand the agreement being signed
If the Agent is a financial institution, they must have trust powers and a registered place of business within Iowa.
The document itself must also be signed in a way that’s legally compliant with IA state statutes. Under Iowa legislation, this must be done in the following way:
Both the Principal and the Agent must sign
For general and durable POAs It is essential that the signing of the document is viewed and signed by a notary public.
Since 2014 Iowa has adopted Uniform Power of Attorney (§ 633B.101) upholds an individual’s right to POA made in one state if he or she moves to another state that adopted the act. Ensure the document includes all the necessary wording.
For more specific information on IA Power of Attorney signing requirements, consult the Iowa Code.
Iowa Power of Attorney Sample
Before starting your own IA Power of Attorney, it can help to look over an example document to understand how your final draft will look and what it will say. Simply view our POA sample now to get a feel for how these documents are written and appear once completed.
FAQs About Iowa Power of Attorney Forms
It is important to have a good understanding of what Iowa Power of Attorney forms can do before filling in your own. Read through our FAQs below to get a better idea of the key information needed as well as any other special considerations.
How to Sign as a Power of Attorney?
Once an Iowa Power of Attorney is signed and notarized, it can be used by the Agent to carry out duties for the Principal. In order to prove they have the authority to act for the Principal, the Attorney-in-Fact must bring the signed copy of the agreement to the place where they will sign a document on the appointing individual’s behalf.
The Agent must then sign their name on the signature line for the signee and must print their own name next to the name of the Principle on the form. They must also indicate that they are signing on behalf of the Principle as their Power of Attorney.
Who Should Be Your Iowa POA Agent?
When choosing the right Agent for your Iowa POA, it is essential to pick a person (or people) that you trust implicitly.
By granting Power of Attorney to someone, you allow them to hold a large amount of responsibility for your financial or even bodily wellbeing. An Agent therefore must be someone you know will take the actions that serve these interests best.
What is the Difference Between a General and a Durable Power of Attorney?
The big difference between a General Power of Attorney and a Durable Power of Attorney is when the powers can and cannot be used. When you create your IA Power of Attorney as a General POA, its powers can only be used by the agent until they are withdrawn or the Principal becomes incapacitated.
Durable POAs on the other hand can continue to be used after the Principal is incapacitated. This makes them much better documents for estate planning in later life or to provide for medical necessities.