What a Power of Attorney Is and Is Not

This lesson defines a power of attorney as a legal authorization that lets one person, the agent or attorney-in-fact, act for another person, the principal, within the authority granted in the document. It explains the core roles, the difference between authority and ownership, and why a power of attorney is best understood as a practical planning tool rather than a loss of personal control.

The lesson also clarifies what a power of attorney does not do: it does not replace a will, does not continue after death, does not automatically cover every decision, and does not make the agent free from legal duties. Students leave with a grounded framework for understanding later lessons on financial, medical, durable, limited, and springing powers of attorney.