Attorney-in-Fact

An attorney-in-fact is the person designated by a power of attorney document to make decisions for an individual about their legal or financial matters in the event they cannot make decisions on their own due to illness, disability, or other circumstances. 

The power of attorney document outlines the scope of the authority the attorney-in-fact has, which can include managing financial affairs, making healthcare decisions, signing legal documents, buying or selling property, and other powers specified in the document.

An attorney-in-fact may or may not be a lawyer, but should be someone who is familiar with the individual’s wishes and can be trusted to act in their best interest. The authority of the attorney-in-fact ends when the individual revokes the power of attorney document, or when the individual dies.