You or your parent should give a notarized copy of the power
of attorney to each bank or financial institution where mom or dad wants you to
have authority. It is possible that if mom or dad wants you to have access to
their accounts, the bank or financial institution may require them to sign
their own authorization form and a signature card for you as their agent.
Checking with the banks and financial institutions about their requirements before
mom or dad’s health declines will help to avoid future difficulty in using the
power of attorney.
When you sign as an agent on your parent’s behalf, it should
always be clear that you are signing as the agent. The signature should look
similar to this:
__________ (Your parent’s name) by __________(Agent's name),
agent for _________(Your parent’s name).
This signature or something similar indicating you are
acting as an agent is preferable because it will be clear that you are signing
on your parent’s behalf only and you will not be liable for the transaction.
Written by Heather W. Winter, Esquire
