Introduction to Power of Attorney

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Power of Attorney tells you how a legal document called a power of attorney can be used to give someone the authority to take care of financial and legal matters for you. It explains the types of power of attorney, who can be an attorney, how to make a power of attorney, and how to end a power of attorney.

We have tried to use clear language throughout. See the "Glossary" section for definitions of key legal terms, which are also bolded in the text.

Copyright & disclaimer

Power of Attorney, © People's Law School is, except for the images, made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 Canada Licence.

At People's Law School, we believe accurate, plain English information can help people take action to work out their legal problems. This publication explains in a general way the law that applies in British Columbia, Canada. It is not intended as legal advice. For help with a specific legal problem, contact a legal professional. Some sources of legal help are highlighted in the "Where to Get Help" section.

Contributors & acknowledgements

Contributors to this publication:

• Legal review: Kevin Smith
• Content review: Hassan El Masri and Joan Letendre, notaries public practicing in British Columbia
• Writing, editing and layout: Marisa Chandler, Drew Jackson, Gayla Reid, Elena Renderos

This publication was made possible through the financial support of the Law Foundation of BC, the Notary Foundation of BC, the Department of Justice Canada, and the Province of British Columbia.

About People's Law School

People's Law School is a non-profit society in British Columbia, dedicated to making the law accessible to everyone. We provide free education and information to help people effectively deal with the legal problems of daily life. Contact us at info@peopleslawschool.ca or visit us online at www.peopleslawschool.ca.