STATUTORY DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY
NOTICE: THE POWERS GRANTED BY THIS DOCUMENT ARE BROAD AND
SWEEPING. THEY ARE EXPLAINED IN THE DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY ACT,
SUBTITLE P, TITLE 2, ESTATES CODE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THESE POWERS, OBTAIN COMPETENT LEGAL ADVICE. THIS DOCUMENT DOES
NOT AUTHORIZE ANYONE TO MAKE MEDICAL AND OTHER HEALTH-CARE
DECISIONS FOR YOU. YOU MAY REVOKE THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IF YOU
LATER WISH TO DO SO.
You should select someone you trust to serve as your agent (attorney in fact). Unless you
specify otherwise, generally the agent's (attorney in fact's) authority will continue until:
(1) you die or revoke the power of attorney;
(2) your agent (attorney in fact) resigns or is unable to act for you; or
(3) a guardian is appointed for your estate.
I, __________ (insert your name and address), appoint __________ (insert the name and address
of the person appointed) as my agent (attorney in fact) to act for me in any lawful way with
respect to all of the following powers that I have initialed below.
TO GRANT ALL OF THE FOLLOWING POWERS, INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF (N)
AND IGNORE THE LINES IN FRONT OF THE OTHER POWERS LISTED IN (A)
THROUGH (M).
TO GRANT A POWER, YOU MUST INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF THE POWER YOU
ARE GRANTING.
TO WITHHOLD A POWER, DO NOT INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF THE POWER.
YOU MAY, BUT DO NOT NEED TO, CROSS OUT EACH POWER WITHHELD.
____ (A) Real property transactions;
____ (B) Tangible personal property transactions;
____ (C) Stock and bond transactions;
____ (D) Commodity and option transactions;
____ (E) Banking and other financial institution transactions;
____ (F) Business operating transactions;
____ (G) Insurance and annuity transactions;
____ (H) Estate, trust, and other beneficiary transactions;
____ (I) Claims and litigation;
____ (J) Personal and family maintenance;
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney Page 2
____ (K) Benefits from social security, Medicare, Medicaid, or other governmental
programs or civil or military service;
____ (L) Retirement plan transactions;
____ (M) Tax matters;
____ (N) ALL OF THE POWERS LISTED IN (A) THROUGH (M). YOU DO
NOT HAVE TO INITIAL THE LINE IN FRONT OF ANY OTHER
POWER IF YOU INITIAL LINE (N).
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Special instructions applicable to gifts (initial in front of the following sentence to have it apply):
____ I grant my agent (attorney in fact) the power to apply my property to make gifts
outright to or for the benefit of a person, including by the exercise of a presently
exercisable general power of appointment held by me, except that the amount of a
gift to an individual may not exceed the amount of annual exclusions allowed
from the federal gift tax for the calendar year of the gift.
ON THE FOLLOWING LINES YOU MAY GIVE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS LIMITING OR
EXTENDING THE POWERS GRANTED TO YOUR AGENT.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
UNLESS YOU DIRECT OTHERWISE ABOVE, THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IS
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL IT IS REVOKED.
CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ALTERNATIVES BY CROSSING OUT THE
ALTERNATIVE NOT CHOSEN:
(A) This power of attorney is not affected by my subsequent disability or incapacity.
(B) This power of attorney becomes effective upon my disability or incapacity.
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney Page 3
YOU SHOULD CHOOSE ALTERNATIVE (A) IF THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY IS TO
BECOME EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE IT IS EXECUTED.
IF NEITHER (A) NOR (B) IS CROSSED OUT, IT WILL BE ASSUMED THAT YOU CHOSE
ALTERNATIVE (A).
If Alternative (B) is chosen and a definition of my disability or incapacity is not contained in this
power of attorney, I shall be considered disabled or incapacitated for purposes of this power of
attorney if a physician certifies in writing at a date later than the date this power of attorney is
executed that, based on the physician's medical examination of me, I am mentally incapable of
managing my financial affairs. I authorize the physician who examines me for this purpose to
disclose my physical or mental condition to another person for purposes of this power of
attorney. A third party who accepts this power of attorney is fully protected from any action
taken under this power of attorney that is based on the determination made by a physician of my
disability or incapacity.
I agree that any third party who receives a copy of this document may act under it. Revocation
of the durable power of attorney is not effective as to a third party until the third party receives
actual notice of the revocation. I agree to indemnify the third party for any claims that arise
against the third party because of reliance on this power of attorney.
If any agent named by me dies, becomes legally disabled, resigns, or refuses to act, I name the
following (each to act alone and successively, in the order named) as successor(s) to that agent:
_________________________________________________________________________.
Signed this ______ day of __________, _____________
___________________________
(your signature)
State of _______________________
County of ______________________
This document was acknowledged before me on ____________(date) by __________________
(name of principal).
______________________________
(signature of notarial officer)
(Seal, if any, of notary) ________________________________________
(printed name) ________________________________________
My commission expires: ______________
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney Page 4
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR AGENT (ATTORNEY IN FACT)
Agent's Duties
When you accept the authority granted under this power of attorney, you establish a "fiduciary"
relationship with the principal. This is a special legal relationship that imposes on you legal
duties that continue until you resign or the power of attorney is terminated or revoked by the
principal or by operation of law. A fiduciary duty generally includes the duty to:
(1) act in good faith;
(2) do nothing beyond the authority granted in this power of attorney;
(3) act loyally for the principal's benefit;
(4) avoid conflicts that would impair your ability to act in the principal's best interest;
and
(5) disclose your identity as an agent or attorney in fact when you act for the principal
by writing or printing the name of the principal and signing your own name as
"agent" or "attorney in fact" in the following manner:
(Principal's Name) by (Your Signature) as Agent (or as Attorney in Fact)
In addition, the Durable Power of Attorney Act (Subtitle P, Title 2, Estates Code) requires you
to:
(1) maintain records of each action taken or decision made on behalf of the principal;
(2) maintain all records until delivered to the principal, released by the principal, or
discharged by a court; and
(3) if requested by the principal, provide an accounting to the principal that, unless
otherwise directed by the principal or otherwise provided in the Special
Instructions, must include:
(A) the property belonging to the principal that has come to your knowledge or
into your possession;
(B) each action taken or decision made by you as agent or attorney in fact;
(C) a complete account of receipts, disbursements, and other actions of you as
agent or attorney in fact that includes the source and nature of each
receipt, disbursement, or action, with receipts of principal and income
shown separately;
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney Page 5
(D) a listing of all property over which you have exercised control that
includes an adequate description of each asset and the asset's current
value, if known to you;
(E) the cash balance on hand and the name and location of the depository at
which the cash balance is kept;
(F) each known liability;
(G) any other information and facts known to you as necessary for a full and
definite understanding of the exact condition of the property belonging to
the principal; and
(H) all documentation regarding the principal's property.
Termination of Agent's Authority
You must stop acting on behalf of the principal if you learn of any event that terminates this
power of attorney or your authority under this power of attorney. An event that terminates this
power of attorney or your authority to act under this power of attorney includes:
(1) the principal's death;
(2) the principal's revocation of this power of attorney or your authority;
(3) the occurrence of a termination event stated in this power of attorney;
(4) if you are married to the principal, the dissolution of your marriage by court
decree of divorce or annulment;
(5) the appointment and qualification of a permanent guardian of the principal's
estate; or
(6) if ordered by a court, the suspension of this power of attorney on the appointment
and qualification of a temporary guardian until the date the term of the temporary
guardian expires.
Liability of Agent
The authority granted to you under this power of attorney is specified in the Durable Power of
Attorney Act (Subtitle P, Title 2, Estates Code). If you violate the Durable Power of Attorney
Act or act beyond the authority granted, you may be liable for any damages caused by the
violation or subject to prosecution for misapplication of property by a fiduciary under Chapter 32
of the Texas Penal Code.
Statutory Durable Power
of Attorney - eForms
Page 6
THE ATTORNEY IN FACT OR AGENT, BY ACCEPTING OR ACTING UNDER THE
APPOINTMENT, ASSUMES THE FIDUCIARY AND OTHER LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES
OF AN AGENT.