Power of Attorney and Health Care – General – Maine

A durable financial power of attorney is a durable power of attorney by which a principal designates another as attorney-in-fact to make decisions on the principal’s behalf in matters concerning the principal’s finances, property or both.

An attorney-in-fact is not authorized to make gifts to the attorney-in-fact or to others unless the durable financial power of attorney explicitly authorizes such gifts.

A durable financial power of attorney must be notarized by a notary public or an attorney at law.

A durable financial power of attorney must contain the following language: “Notice to the Principal: As the “Principal,” you are using this Durable Power of Attorney to grant power to another person (called the “Agent” or “Attorney-in-fact”) to make decisions about your money, property or both and to use your money, property or both on your behalf. If this written Durable Power of Attorney does not limit the powers that you give your Agent, your Agent will have broad and sweeping powers to sell or otherwise dispose of your property and spend your money without advance notice to you or approval by you. Under this document, your Agent will continue to have these powers after you  become incapacitated, and you may also choose to authorize your Agent to use these powers before you become incapacitated. The powers that you give your Agent are explained more fully in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 18-A, sections 5-501 to 5-508 and in Maine case law. You have the right to revoke or take back this Durable Power of Attorney at any time as long as you are of sound mind. If there is anything about this Durable Power of Attorney that you do not understand, you should ask a lawyer to explain it to you.”

A durable financial power of attorney must also contain the following language:  “Notice to the Agent: As the “Agent” or “Attorney-in-fact,” you are given power under this Durable Power of Attorney to make decisions about the money, property or both belonging to the Principal and to spend the Principal’s money, property or both on that person’s behalf in accordance with the terms of this Durable Power of Attorney. This Durable Power of Attorney is valid only if the Principal is of sound mind when the Principal signs it. As the Agent, you are under a duty (called a “fiduciary duty”) to observe the standards observed by a prudent person dealing with the property of another. The duty is explained more fully in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 18-A, sections 5-501 to 5-508 and Title 18-B, sections 802 to 807 and Chapter 9, and in Maine case law. As the Agent, you are not entitled to use the money or property for your own benefit or to make gifts to yourself or others unless the Durable Power of Attorney specifically gives you the authority to do so. As the Agent, your authority under this  Durable Power of Attorney will end when the Principal dies and you will not have the authority to administer the estate unless you are authorized to do so in accordance with the Maine Probate Code. If you violate your fiduciary duty under this Durable Power of Attorney, you may be liable for damages and may be subject to criminal prosecution. If there is anything about this Durable Power of Attorney or your duties under it that you do not understand, you should ask a lawyer to explain it to you.”

A power of attorney that contains a grant of general authority does not create a power of attorney for health care unless the power of attorney explicitly authorizes the attorney-in-fact to make health care decisions.

Signatures on a durable power of attorney must be made in person and not by electronic means.

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