Ending Your Power Of Attorney

You can revoke your power of attorney at any time and for any reason, as long as you are mentally able. Your revocation must be in writing and you must inform banks and other institutions that may have relied on your power of attorney before you revoked it. You should also make sure your agent gets written notice, such as an email, that you have revoked the agent’s authority.

Your power of attorney terminates when you die. At that point, the person you have named as your executor in your last will and testament assumes control of your assets and affairs. If you become incapacitated, the power of attorney continues unless you specify that it is not a durable power of attorney.

Your power of attorney also ends if your agent dies or becomes incapacitated unless you have named a successor agent. In addition, if your agent is your spouse, the power of attorney automatically ends if you get divorced. If you revoke your power of attorney for any reason, you should seriously consider executing a new one to reflect any changes in your life among those you trust most and make sure there is a plan in place if any misfortune occurs.

Legal Editor: David A. Caraway, March 2015 (updated August 2020)