AVermont Power of Attorney allows you to grant authority to an Agent to handle your affairs and sign documents on your behalf. Find out how to get your customized form online now.
Last Update May 29th, 2023
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- Types of Power of Attorney in Vermont
- How to Get a Power of Attorney in Vermont
- Vermont Power of Attorney Requirements
- Vermont Power of Attorney Sample
- FAQs About Vermont Power of Attorney Forms
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Types of Power of Attorney in Vermont
Before starting a Vermont 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 kinds of POA available in VT 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 |
| General | General POAs give Agents control over a wide range of your financial responsibilities. This expires, however, if you fall unconscious or are incapacitated. | No |
| 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 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 Vermont tax office. | Yes (if durable) |
How to Get a Power of Attorney in Vermont
There are a few ways to get a Power of Attorney in Vermont. This gives you 2 specific options to choose from:
Get it online: You can get a complete VT Power of Attorney document using our online legal form maker. This will walk you step-by-step through the information you’ll need to add and help you make a legally compliant document.
Go to a lawyer: You can hire a lawyer to draw up a Power of Attorney form for you in Vermont. However, this is often a more costly process and will often take longer to complete.
Vermont Power of Attorney Requirements
To comply with VT 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 Vermont.
The document itself must also be signed in a way that’s legally compliant with VT state statutes. Under Vermont legislation, this must be done in the following way:
Both the Principal and the Agent must sign
The signing must be viewed by 1 witness who must also sign
A notary public must oversee the signing and sign too
Be aware, that once the POA document is completed and signed, there are still some steps you’ll need to take if you plan to manage real estate in Vermont. You’ll need to register the document with the local clerk of the county where the property is located within 30 days of signing.
Read more about VT Power of Attorneys in the Vermont legislature.
Vermont Power of Attorney Sample
Looking over a completed Vermont POA sample is a good place to start when you’re planning to create your own document. Use our template example below to understand the information that goes into this form and to learn more about what your document can do.
FAQs About Vermont Power of Attorney Forms
It is important to have a good understanding of what VT 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.
What Are Some Uses of a Power of Attorney?
A Vermont POA can be useful in many situations. First and foremost, it allows you to plan for circumstances where you are unable to adequately manage your own affairs. This may be a situation where you’d like to delegate your decision-making capacity in either healthcare or financial affairs to a trusted professional or friend.
How to Sign as a Power of Attorney?
Once a VT 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.
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 Vermont 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.