Power of Attorney Checklist

Step 1: Communicate Your Wishes

It is recommended that you discuss your power of attorney with your attorneys and any others named in the document. Doing so will help ensure that your wishes are clearly communicated and understood at the time of signing.

Step 2: Review and Sign

Next, review your document and make any final changes or clarifications. Follow all requirements when signing, which are included with the instructions attached to the end of the downloaded document. The donor, certificate provider, all attorneys and replacement attorneys are required to sign the power of attorney. All signatures must be witnessed and signed by an uninterested party.

Step 3: Distribute Copies

All parties named in the document should receive a copy of the power of attorney once it is fully executed.

Step 4: Register Your Lasting Power of Attorney

If the donor has completed a lasting power of attorney, it will need to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. Send all completed forms to Office of the Public Guardian, PO Box 16185, Birmingham, B2 2WH. The registration process can take between 8 and 10 weeks if there are no mistakes on the application.

Step 5: Periodically Review and Update

The donor will need to review the document and make any needed updates at least every couple of years. Life events often cause the donor's needs and wishes to change over time.