Free Vermont Power of Attorney (POA) Form

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.

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Last Update November 29th, 2023

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Table of Contents:

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

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.

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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.

You are only a few steps away from your own Vermont Power of Attorney!

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Preview of your Vermont Power of Attorney

STATUTORY FORM POWER OF ATTORNEY

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This power of attorney authorizes another person (your agent) to make decisions concerning your property for you (the principal). Your agent will be able to make decisions and act with respect to your property (including your money) whether or not you are able to act for yourself. The meaning of authority over subjects listed on this form is explained in Title 14 - Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations Chapter 123 - Powers of Attorney.

This power of attorney does not authorize the agent to make health-care decisions for you.

You should select someone you trust to serve as your agent. Unless you specify otherwise, generally the agent's authority will continue until you die or revoke the power of attorney or the agent resigns or is unable to act for you.

Your agent is entitled to reasonable compensation unless you state otherwise in the Special Instructions.

This form provides for designation of one agent. If you wish to name more than one agent, you may name a co-agent in the Special Instructions. Co-agents are not required to act together unless you include that requirement in the Special Instructions.

If your agent is unable or unwilling to act for you, your power of attorney will end unless you have named a successor agent. You may also name a second successor agent.

This power of attorney becomes effective immediately, unless you state otherwise in the Special Instructions.

If you have questions about the power of attorney or the authority you are granting to your agent, you should seek legal advice before signing this form.

DESIGNATION OF AGENT

I, _________, with permanent residence address at _________, telephone number _________, and email address _________, name the following person as my agent:

Name of Agent: _________
Agent's Address: _________
Agent's Telephone Number: _________
Agent's Email Address: _________

DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY

GRANT OF GENERAL AUTHORITY

I grant my agent and any successor agent general authority to act for me with respect to the following subjects:

- Real property
- Tangible personal property
- Stocks and bonds
- Commodities and options
- Banks and other financial institutions
- Operation of entity or business
- Insurance and annuities
- Estates, Trusts, and Other Beneficial Interests
- Claims and Litigation
- Personal and Family Maintenance
- Benefits from governmental programs or civil or military service
- Retirement plans
- Taxes

LIMITATION ON AGENT'S AUTHORITY

An agent that is not my ancestor, spouse, or descendant MAY NOT use my property to benefit the agent or a person to whom the agent owes an obligation of support unless I have included that authority in the Special Instructions.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

My Agent is entitled to reasonable compensation for services rendered as my Agent.

My Agent will be entitled to reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in acting under this Power of Attorney.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This power of attorney shall be effective immediately and will continue to be effective until my death, even if I became incapacitated, except as may be provided otherwise by an applicable state statute.

This Power of Attorney may be revoked or terminated by me at any time by providing written notice to my Agent.

RELIANCE ON THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY

Any person, including my agent, may rely upon the validity of this power of attorney or a copy of it unless that person knows it has terminated or is invalid.

SIGNATURE OF WITNESSES

By signing as a witness, I acknowledge that the principal signed the Power of Attorney in my presence, or that the principal acknowledged to me that the principal's signature was affixed by him or her or at his or her direction. I also acknowledge that the principal appears to be of sound mind and free from duress and has stated that this Power of Attorney reflects his or her wishes and that he or she has signed it voluntarily. I am not named herein as an agent or as a permissible recipient of gifts.

In Witness Whereof I have hereunto signed my name on the _____ day of ___________, 20__, at _________, _________.

WITNESS signs here:

_______________________________
_________

SIGNATURES

Dated ____________________, _____, at _________, Vermont.


___________________________________	_______________
_________	Date

Address: _________
Telephone Number: _________
Email Address: _________

___________________________________	_______________
_________	Date

NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT

State of Vermont
_________ County

This document was acknowledged before me on	_______________.
	(date)

by ___________________________________
_________

___________________________________
(Seal, if any)

Signature of Notary: __________________________________

My commission expires: _______________________________

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR AGENT

Agent's Duties

When you accept the authority granted under this power of attorney, a special legal relationship is created between you and the principal. This relationship imposes upon you legal duties that continue until you resign or the power of attorney is terminated or revoked. You must:

(1) Act in good faith and in the interest of the principal;

(2) Refrain from self-dealing, except as provided in the power of attorney pursuant to subsection 3504(d) or (f);

(3) Avoid conflicts of interest which would impair the ability of the agent to act in the interest of the principal;

(4) Not commingle the funds of the principal with his or her own funds or the funds of third parties, except in an attorney-client trust account in accordance with the rules governing such accounts;

(5) Exercise the degree of care that would be observed by a prudent person dealing with the property and affairs of another person;

(6) iI selected as agent with the expectation he or she has special skills or expertise, use those skills on behalf of the principal, provided the terms of the power of attorney specify that the agent is expected to use special skills and expertise, and provided, further, the agent acknowledges in signing the power of attorney that he or she has been so selected;

(7) Take no action beyond the scope of authority granted by the terms of the power of attorney;

(8) Take no action which violates any provision of Title 14 - Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations Chapter 123 - Powers of Attorney;

(9) Keep records of all transactions taken under the power of attorney;

(10) Provide accounting upon request of the principal or at such times or in such manner as is specified by the terms of the power of attorney;

(11) Follow the directions of the principal specifically forbidding an action, notwithstanding any provision of the power of attorney giving the agent authority to take such action; provided, however, no third party who acts in reliance on the apparent authority of the agent under the power of attorney shall be bound or limited by the directions of the principal to the agent not set forth in the power of attorney unless such third party has actual notice of the instructions; and

(12) Comply with any lawful termination of the power of attorney as provided in section 3507 of this title.

Termination of Agent's Authority

You must stop acting on behalf of the principal if you learn of any event that terminates this power of attorney or your authority under this power of attorney. Events that terminate a power of attorney or your authority to act under a power of attorney include:

(1) The revocation by the principal;

(2) The divorce of the principal and spouse, where the spouse is the agent;

(3) The death of the principal;

(4) The disability or incapacity of the principal, except as provided in section 3508 of this title;

(5) The resignation or death of the agent, unless an alternate agent is named in the power of attorney or by the agent;

(6) A termination date specified in the power of attorney, if any;

(7) The occurrence of a termination event explicitly specified in the power of attorney; or

(8) The order of a court of competent jurisdiction.