If a person is designated by a parent or close friend as that individual’s power of attorney, that person has a right to decline. There are many reasons why this may be a good idea. For instance, the parent may live in Virginia while the child designated as power of attorney lives on the other side of the country. It is also possible that whoever is asked to fulfill the role simply isn’t capable of doing so.
Even if the designated person feels capable of doing so when asked to fulfill the role, life events could make that impossible in the future. For instance, someone who works 60 hours a week may not have time to make emergency decisions or be available for days at a time in case something happens. It is also important to consider how the family dynamic will change prior to agreeing to be power of attorney.
It may be best to decline the role if there is a chance that a sibling could get angry or doesn’t trust the decisions being made. In addition, a person who is going to act as a family member’s agent may not have the emotional ability to fulfill it properly. Those who are looking to designate an agent may want to nominate successor agents in case the first choice declines to uphold that role.
A legal representative may be able to help Forest, Virginia residents designate a child, friend or other adult of sound mind to make decisions on his or her behalf. The document can generally be as broad or narrow as a person needs it to be. It may also be amended or revoked in certain cases if circumstances change. Alternate agents may be named if an individual so desires.
