July 2019
A durable power of attorney and a healthcare proxy, also known as a medical by proxy, are legal tools commonly used when estate planning or in caring for another person. Although similar in that they each are the appointment of an agent to act on behalf of someone else, they have differences that set them apart from one another.

In general, power of attorney grants the authority to a designated agent to act on behalf of the principal in a variety of legal, medical or financial matters. It can be general and grant the agent the ability to act on the principal's behalf in a wide range of potential situations, such as paying bills or making business decisions, or specific, such as selling a property or paying bills for a certain period of time only.


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