A General Power of Attorney is a legal instrument through which one person (the principal) authorizes another person (the agent or attorney-in-fact) to act on their behalf in a broad range of legal, financial, and business matters. Governed by the Uniform Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA), which has been adopted in over 20 states, and by individual state statutes in non-adopting jurisdictions, this document grants the agent authority to perform virtually any act the principal could perform personally — including managing bank accounts, buying or selling real property, operating businesses, filing taxes, and handling investment accounts.

Unlike a limited or special power of attorney that restricts the agent to specific transactions, a general power of attorney confers comprehensive authority across multiple domains. Under common law and most state statutes, a standard (non-durable) general power of attorney automatically terminates upon the principal's incapacity — meaning the agent loses authority at precisely the moment it may be most needed. This is why many principals opt for a durable general power of attorney under the Uniform Durable Power of Attorney Act, which includes language specifying that the agent's authority survives the principal's subsequent disability or incapacity.

The agent under a general power of attorney owes fiduciary duties to the principal, including the duty of loyalty, the duty to act in the principal's best interest, the duty to keep the principal's property separate from their own, and the duty to maintain records of all transactions conducted on the principal's behalf.

A general power of attorney is commonly created when an individual plans to be unavailable to manage their own affairs for an extended period. This includes military service members deploying overseas who need someone to handle mortgage payments, vehicle registrations, and tax filings in their absence. Business owners traveling internationally for extended periods use general powers of attorney to authorize trusted partners or family members to sign contracts, manage payroll, and conduct banking transactions.

Elderly individuals often execute durable general powers of attorney as part of comprehensive estate planning, ensuring that a trusted family member or professional fiduciary can manage their financial affairs if cognitive decline occurs. This is frequently done alongside a healthcare power of attorney and advance directive. Real estate investors who own properties in multiple states may grant general powers of attorney to local agents to handle closings, lease signings, and property management decisions without requiring the investor's physical presence.

Other common scenarios include individuals facing major surgery who want financial management covered during recovery, couples going through separation who need to authorize someone else to handle joint obligations, and immigrants who need a representative in their home country to manage property or business interests. Under most state laws, the principal can revoke the power of attorney at any time while competent, typically by providing written notice to the agent and any third parties who have been relying on it.

The identification of parties must include the full legal names, addresses, and identification details of both the principal and the agent. Many states require the principal's Social Security Number for documents that will be used in financial transactions. A successor agent should be named to step in if the primary agent is unable or unwilling to serve, avoiding the need to execute a new power of attorney if the original agent becomes unavailable.

The grant of authority section is the core of the document and should enumerate the specific powers being conferred. Under the UPOAA, general categories include real property transactions, tangible personal property, stocks and bonds, banking, business operations, insurance, estates and trusts, tax matters, and government benefits. Even in a "general" power of attorney, explicitly listing each category of authority prevents third parties — particularly banks and financial institutions — from refusing to honor the document due to perceived ambiguity.

The durability clause determines whether the agent's authority survives the principal's incapacity. Under the UPOAA Section 104, the document must contain specific language such as "this power of attorney is not affected by the principal's subsequent disability or incapacity" to be durable. The document should also address compensation (whether the agent is entitled to reasonable fees), the agent's duty to maintain records and provide accountings, restrictions on self-dealing, and the conditions under which the power of attorney terminates — typically upon the principal's death, written revocation, court order, or the occurrence of a specified event. Most states require the principal's signature to be notarized, and some states mandate witness signatures as well.