A POA or power of attorney, which enables an agent, the person trusted by the principal, to handle the affairs of the person assigning authority should the person become incapable is known as the durable POA. POAs provide other people power in acting on behalf of other persons, but there are actually many kinds of these legal documents: Limited POA, General POA, and Medical POA. The durable term in POA makes it more effective even when the principal becomes incompetent or incapable mentally.
What’s a POA?
A POA is legal documentation that’s used in giving another person authority in acting on behalf of another person. The person that offers authority is referred to as the principal. As for the person that has been given authority, he or she is called as the attorney-in-fact or the agent. As mentioned earlier, there are different kinds of POAs.
General POA –This type provides authority in acting for a wide range of matters including the selling and buying of personal property and real estate, management of investments and finances, the operations of a business, the handling of lawsuits and taxes, and lastly, application for benefits from the government.
Limited POA – This one is also known as the special POA. Limited POA provides a person authority in acting for limited situations, that are only specified within the document.
Medical POA – This one is special as it provides someone authority in the event that you won’t be able to make medical-related decisions yourself. You may become physically or mentally unable in making your very own decisions. In that case, Medical POA will be helpful as you have the right person in doing the task for you. Medical POAs is same as health care proxy, health care surrogate designation, patient advocate designation, and durable health care POA.
As for a medical Power of Attorney, it helps doctors determine the life-supporting measures that you would want to be stopped. Medical POAs have the responsibility in carrying out the authorizing person’s healthcare decisions. The person authorized (agent) won’t be able to make other decisions on the behalf of the person giving authorization (principal) unless both medical and financial POAs are granted onto the same individual.
Also Read: How To Notarize A Power Of Attorney In UAE?
How a POA Becomes Durable?
Traditionally, POAs are going to become null and void when any of these situations occur: you become incompetent mentally, you die, you canceled or revoked the document you have created, or the power of attorney has reached the expiration date that was specified in the document.
POA is important when a time comes where you may be unable to make decisions. The power of a durable POA will continue even following the mental incompetence of a principal.
Mentally incompetent simply means mental disability in making informed decisions or incapability of communicating decisions for yourself. In addition to mental illness, incompetence also includes that results to temporary coma or unconsciousness. This can be referred to as mental incapacitation or disability.
How to Create a Durable POA?
By their nature, healthcare POAs are always durable POAs. In order to make other kinds of POAs durable, there are certain language nee to be added to the documents. The language would be part of local legislation that authorizes durable powers for POAs.
It is important that lawyers are hired in the creation of a durable POA in order to have the right language used in the document. Also, it is important to comply to local regulations with the drafting of the document, which is why it is only reasonable to hire an attorney that specializes in POA drafting in Dubai.
Also Read: Everything You Need To Know About Power Of Attorney
When a Durable POA Becomes Effective?
In United Arab Emirates, durable POAs only become effective and valid in the eyes of the law when they are signed properly. Of course, the principal has to become mentally incapable for the durable POA to be of use.
For the document to become immediately effective, the durable POA has to include language like “the POA shall not become affected even with my subsequent incapacity.”
In order to make sure that the POA will only become effective if the principal is mentally incapable, the POA is to include language like “the POA shall become immediately effective during the date of the incapacitation or incompetence.” With this kind of situation, the principal is not only creating the durable POA, but also a springing POA. A springing POA is a special document that will take into effect with a future event that is specified in the document.
If you have questions regarding POA, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts. It can be hard to fully grasp the idea that you may become incapable of making your own decisions; however, it’s best to be prepared at all times. Call us!
Manal Elysyed carries with her an extensive experience of 20 years across a full range of notarial and legalization matters. It is this experience that helps her in delivering the right notary solutions to clients from diversified industries.
