Power of attorney is a power of attorney is a written document that gives someone the authority to act for you or on your behalf. For example, you may give someone a limited power of attorney to handle your day-to-day finances. Or you may give a person or organization, such as a trust company or IRA custodian, a durable power of attorney to make all decisions for you if you are unable or unavailable to make them. These decisions include choosing a beneficiary for your 401(k) if you have not named one before your death and handling required minimum distributions. A power of attorney must be notarized by a notary public to be legal. It's usually a good idea to consult an attorney to be sure the document you're signing will give the person you're designating the necessary authority to act for you.
| APA | Barry Goldsmith. (2010). Power of attorney. Retrieved October 2, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/power_of_attorney/definitions/1160832 |
| Chicago | Barry Goldsmith. 2010. "Power of attorney" http://smartdefine.org/power_of_attorney/definitions/1160832 (accessed October 2, 2026). |
| Harvard | Barry Goldsmith 2010, Power of attorney, Smart Define, viewed 2 October, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/power_of_attorney/definitions/1160832>. |
| MLA | Barry Goldsmith. "Power of attorney" 21 October 2010. Web. 2 October 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/power_of_attorney/definitions/1160832> |