Power of Attorney Lawyer in Lehi

Over 12 Years of Estate Planning Experience, Now Serving Lehi in English & Mandarin

A power of attorney is a legal document that authorizes one person (the agent) to make financial, healthcare, or personal decisions on behalf of another person (the principal). When it’s drafted well and coordinated with the rest of your estate plan, it can help your family avoid serious legal complications during an unexpected crisis. Without one, family members may need to pursue court-supervised conservatorship just to gain authority to manage a loved one’s affairs.

At Gibson Law Firm, we treat a power of attorney as one piece of a larger plan rather than a standalone form. Attorney Lance D. Gibson brings over 12 years of estate planning experience to each consultation, taking time to understand your family structure, your assets, and your medical preferences before drafting anything. We walk through practical scenarios with each client: what happens if you’re suddenly hospitalized at a Utah County facility, or you’re traveling abroad for several months? This helps confirm the powers you grant are neither too broad nor too narrow for your actual situation.

Free initial consultations are available by phone, video, or in person at our Lehi office.

Need help setting up a power of attorney in Lehi? Contact us online or call (877) 540-4416 for a free consultation.

Types of Power of Attorney Available in Lehi

There are several types of POAs to consider, each serving a distinct purpose and extending a different level of authority. When we help you choose among these options, we look closely at your day-to-day responsibilities and long-term plans rather than applying a one-size-fits-all form.

• General Power of Attorney: Grants broad authority over financial and business affairs, allowing the agent to handle a wide range of transactions on the principal’s behalf.
• Special (Limited) Power of Attorney: Restricts the agent’s authority to one or more specific tasks, such as selling a particular property.
• Durable Power of Attorney: Under Utah Code 75A-2-104, every POA governed by the Utah Uniform Power of Attorney Act is durable by default. It survives the principal’s incapacity unless the document expressly states otherwise. No special durability language is required at signing.
• Utah Advance Healthcare Directive: The document governing medical decision-making in Utah. This is a distinct document from a financial POA. A financial POA does not automatically authorize medical decisions. The Advance Healthcare Directive requires one disinterested witness rather than notarization, and it allows the principal to name a different person for healthcare decisions than the agent handling financial matters.

A small-business owner in Lehi, for example, may benefit from a carefully drafted general POA that allows an agent to sign contracts or manage payroll during an unexpected absence. Someone focused on medical decision-making needs the Utah Advance Healthcare Directive coordinated with the policies used by local providers in Utah County. By matching each document to concrete situations in your life, we create a plan that can support you instead of complicating things for your loved ones.

How a Power of Attorney Fits Into Your Estate Plan

A POA is most effective when it’s coordinated with the rest of your estate planning documents rather than created in isolation. As we help you set up a power of attorney in Lehi, we review how it will interact with your will, any trusts you have, and your healthcare directives so that your plan works together as a whole. This can help prevent gaps or conflicts that might otherwise create confusion for your family during a crisis.

We may review beneficiary designations on accounts, existing trust provisions, and your preferences for medical treatment to ensure your agent’s authority supports those instructions rather than working against them. If you own a business in Utah County, we’ll also consider how your operating agreement or buy-sell arrangements affect the powers you grant in a financial POA. This broader view lets us suggest targeted updates or additional documents that complement your new POA without forcing you into a complete overhaul of your planning.

This coordinated approach is especially valuable for blended families, clients who hold real estate in multiple states, or individuals with significant retirement assets. Careful drafting in these situations can reduce the risk of family disputes, delays in accessing funds, and confusion about who should speak for you in different settings. When all parts of your estate plan support each other, your chosen agents and loved ones can have clearer guidance and fewer hurdles when it matters most.

Utah Legal Requirements for a Valid Power of Attorney

Utah’s rules for executing a financial power of attorney are straightforward, but the details matter. Under Utah Code 75A-2-105, a financial POA must be signed before a notary public or other officer authorized to take acknowledgments. No witness requirement applies to financial POAs in Utah. Notarization alone satisfies the execution requirement, and a signature acknowledged before a notary is presumed genuine under Utah law.

A few additional requirements apply. The principal must have sufficient mental capacity at signing to understand that they are appointing an agent to handle their financial affairs. Utah does not require a financial POA to be filed with any court; the original is typically held by the agent, with copies distributed to relevant institutions such as banks. If the agent’s authority covers real property transactions, the POA must also be filed with the County Recorder in the county where the property is located. Utah provides an official statutory POA form under Utah Code 75A-2-301, but a custom-drafted document is equally valid and can be tailored to your specific situation.

During a typical appointment at Gibson Law Firm, we start by confirming that you have the legal capacity to sign and that you understand the scope of the powers you’re granting. We then walk through how local institutions such as banks and title companies may review your document before accepting it. After signing, we cover practical next steps: where to keep the original, who should receive copies, and when you may need to update the document as your life or Utah law changes.

Our Step-by-Step Power of Attorney Process

Many people delay creating a POA because they’re unsure what the process involves or how long it will take. We break the work into clear, predictable stages so that getting a power of attorney in Lehi feels manageable alongside your work and family demands.

We begin with an initial consultation, available by phone, video, or in person at our Lehi office, to learn about your goals and answer your questions. From there, we help you decide what type of POA you need and who should serve as your agent, walking through the pros and cons of each option. We then prepare a customized draft, review it with you in plain language, make any requested changes, and arrange a convenient time for signing and notarization. After the document is complete, we cover storage, distributing copies to key people, and how to update your POA if your circumstances change.

Throughout this process, we use secure electronic systems so you can review drafts from home or your office without multiple trips across Utah County. For clients who prefer meetings at home or at a business location, we can often arrange travel within the area. This structured yet flexible approach is designed to give you a clear timeline from the first conversation to a fully executed document in hand.

Choosing & Preparing Your Agent

Selecting the right person to act under your power of attorney may be the most important decision you make in this process. An agent must be 18 or older and can be a family member, friend, or professional advisor. Beyond eligibility, they need the judgment and availability to act under pressure. When we help clients with a power of attorney in Lehi, we devote real consultation time to discussing who is realistically able to serve and how to set that person up for success.

We ask practical questions about potential agents: where they live, how comfortable they are making decisions under pressure, and whether they can communicate effectively with other family members. We typically recommend naming one or more backup (successor) agents so there’s a clear plan if your first choice can’t serve. We also discuss ways to communicate your values to your agent in advance: through letters of instruction, family meetings, or shared access to important records, so they aren’t left guessing about what you would want.

Once you’ve chosen an agent, we encourage you to involve that person in part of the planning process when appropriate. Explaining the document, answering their questions, and clarifying any limits reduces the risk of misunderstandings later. For families in Lehi and the surrounding communities, these conversations can also ease tensions by showing that your choices were thoughtful and deliberate rather than made in reaction to a crisis.

Why Lehi Residents Choose Gibson Law Firm for Power of Attorney

At Gibson Law Firm, we offer personalized, bilingual (English and Mandarin) legal services tailored to the needs of Lehi residents and families throughout Utah County. Attorney Lance D. Gibson brings over 12 years of estate planning and business law experience to every document we prepare, and we pair that experience with flat-rate pricing and free initial consultations so you know exactly what to expect before any work begins.

When you work with us, you get a clear process rather than a rushed signing appointment. We start with a detailed conversation about your goals, review sample language together so you understand what each clause means, and use secure document systems that let you review drafts from home or your office. For Mandarin-speaking clients, we take additional time during consultations to explain Utah terms in both languages so nothing is lost in translation. Flexible scheduling, including travel to your home or business when preferred, means you can get an accurate, coordinated document in place without disrupting your work or family routine.

Ready to put a power of attorney in place? Call (877) 540-4416 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation with Gibson Law Firm.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Power of Attorney?

A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that permits one person (the principal) to authorize another person (the agent) to make decisions on their behalf. This can cover managing financial accounts, real property transactions, tax matters, business affairs, and any other matters the principal chooses to include. Without a POA in place, friends or family may need to go through a lengthy court process, such as conservatorship, to gain authority to manage your assets or make decisions on your behalf. Establishing a POA in advance gives a trusted person the legal authority to act when it’s needed most.

How Do I Set Up a Power of Attorney in Lehi?

Setting up a POA in Utah involves drafting a written document, signing it before a notary public under Utah Code 75A-2-105, and distributing copies to the agent and relevant institutions such as banks. No witness requirement applies to financial POAs under current Utah law. At Gibson Law Firm, we guide you from the initial consultation through signing and post-execution steps, and we help you think carefully about who will act as your agent and the specific powers they will need so every aspect of the document is tailored to your situation.

Can a Power of Attorney Be Revoked?

Yes. A power of attorney can be revoked in writing at any time while the principal remains mentally competent. The revocation must be communicated to the agent and all third parties relying on the agent’s authority, including banks and healthcare providers, to prevent any continued use of the document. Gibson Law Firm can assist you in drafting a revocation notice and advising how to communicate the change to all relevant parties.

What Powers Can Be Included in a Power of Attorney?

A POA can grant the agent authority over financial accounts, real property transactions, tax matters, business affairs, and other matters defined by the principal. The scope is set by the principal and can be as broad or as narrow as the situation requires. We work with you to draft a POA that fits your specific needs, giving you clear control over what your agent can and cannot do.

Why Is a Durable Power of Attorney Important?

Under Utah Code 75A-2-104, every POA governed by the Utah Uniform Power of Attorney Act is durable by default, meaning it survives the principal’s incapacity unless the document expressly states otherwise. No special durability language is required at signing. This default rule matters: if you become incapacitated, your agent’s authority continues without interruption, which can help avoid the costly and time-consuming court process of petitioning for a conservatorship. If you want a POA that terminates upon incapacity, the document must explicitly say so.

Have questions about power of attorney in Lehi? Call (877) 540-4416 or use our online form to get started today.