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From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My brother named me his agent under his Atlantic County, New Jersey power of attorney. Now my sister claims I embezzled and stole money using that power of attorney. How do I clear my name?

As agent, you are permitted to retain an Atlantic County Surrogates Court Attorney to assist you in filing a Formal Accounting of all your actions as Agent. This accounting is then provided to all interested parties, who are free to either accept the terms or object. If they file objections, you are then able to address these objections in front of a judge. In the end, the judge then rules on the evidence presented.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My dad named me his power of attorney. For many years I helped pay his bills and care for him. After years of in-house care and then a nursing home in Lehigh County, all his money was gone except one small account which we both split. My brother thinks I stole the money, but that is not true. He has served me a citation to account for my actions under the power of attorney, what do I do now?

By accepting the position of agent through your father’s Power of Attorney, you became a fiduciary. As a fiduciary, you owed your father a duty to look out for his interests. But that job also comes with the obligation to explain your actions as agent to certain people.

An interested party can ask for you to account for all the actions you took as the agent. During his life, this could have been your father. Now that your father has died, your brother (as the heir to half his estate) has the right to ask for a power of attorney accounting from you because if it is found that you took any money, half of anything recovered will go to him.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: I have signed a General Power of Attorney giving my girlfriend the power to act for me, but I don’t want her to have it yet. I only want her to have it when (and if) I become unable to care for myself. Should I keep it in my safe at home? We both live in Bucks County, so she is close by.

The problem with putting your General Power of Attorney in your safe is that if you become incapacitated, your girlfriend will likely be unable to get into the safe. You could give her the combination to the safe, but that runs contrary to your wish. If she has the combination, she can get to the General Power of Attorney at any time. This is a common problem.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: Years ago, I gave my husband a General Durable Power of Attorney. Now I am divorced, living in Montgomery County, and I want to give Power of Attorney to my daughter. My Ex will not give me the old Power of Attorney. Can I revoke or void the Power of Attorney if he still has the original?

Yes, you can void a Power of Attorney at any time as long as you have the requisite mental capacity. Your situation will be a little more complex, as you have given the original document to your former agent. I have not seen that Power of Attorney, but it may have a paragraph that states that banks and others need not confirm with you that the document is still in power.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My father, who lives in Atlantic County, New Jersey, is having serious health problems. He wants me to be able to use his general power of attorney, but it says I need a doctor’s note saying that he is incapacitated. Is that normal?

Your father has a “Leaping” Power of Attorney, which used to be the normal document that Atlantic County Estate Planning Lawyers would prepare. A Leaping Power of Attorney only gives the “Agent” the power to act if—and only if—the principal is incapacitated, and the principal’s doctor confirms the incapacity in a letter. Without the letter the power of attorney is useless.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: I have signed a General Power of Attorney giving my daughter the power to act for me, but I don’t want her to have it yet. I only want her to have it when (and if) I become unable to care for myself. Should I keep it in my safe deposit box? We both live in Montgomery County, so she is close by.

The problem with putting your General Power of Attorney in your safe deposit box is that if you become incapacitated, your daughter will likely be unable to get into the box. If you have died, there is a process to open the box. But, that process is much more complex if you are still alive and incapacitated.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My mother, who lives in Gloucester County, New Jersey, is having serious health problems. She wants me to be able to use her general power of attorney, but it says I need a doctor’s note saying that she is incapacitated. Is that normal?

Your mother has a “Leaping” Power of Attorney, which at one time was the normal document that Gloucester County estate planning lawyers would prepare. A Leaping Power of Attorney gives the “Agent” the power to act for the person if-and only if-that person has become incapacitated and the Agent can secure a letter from the person’s doctor certifying that face. Without the doctor’s letter, the power of attorney is useless.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: Years ago, I gave a friend a General Durable Power of Attorney. Now I am married, living in Chester County and want to give Power of Attorney to my spouse. My former-friend will not give me the old Power of Attorney. Can I revoke or void the Power of Attorney if he still has the original?

Yes, you can void a Power of Attorney at any time as long as you have the requisite mental capacity. Your situation will be a little more complex, as you have given the original document to your former agent. I have not seen that Power of Attorney, but it may have a paragraph that states that banks and others need not confirm with you that the document is still in power.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: Years ago, I gave my friend a General Durable Power of Attorney. Now I am married, living in Delaware County and want to give Power of Attorney to my spouse. My now-former friend will not give me the old Power of Attorney. Can I revoke or void the Power of Attorney if he still has the original?

Yes, you can void a Power of Attorney at any time, as long as you have the requisite mental capacity. Your situation will be a little more complex, as you have given the original document to your former Agent. I have not seen that Power of Attorney, but it may have a paragraph that states that banks and others need not confirm with you that the document is still in power.

From our “Ask a Question” mailbag: My mother is incapacitated and living in an assisted living facility in Atlantic County, New Jersey. She appointed my brother Agent under her Power of Attorney. My mother has a life insurance policy that names me as beneficiary. My brother refuses to make the payment, so the policy will soon lapse. Can I make the payment?

The insurance company does not care who sends the check. Therefore, you certainly can make the payment.

The real question you should be asking here is: should you make the payment?