Download Vermont Durable Power of Attorney Form [PDF]

The Vermont durable power of attorney (durable POA) is a legal document one party, called the principal, uses to authorize another party, called the agent or the attorney-in-fact, to act on their behalf and represent them before governmental, financial, medical, or other institutions and third parties.

The principal can use the Vermont durable power of attorney for every situation where they are not able to personally complete a certain action or make a certain decision. This can happen due to the principal's mental disability, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or simply because they lack the professional knowledge to complete a certain legal action.

A durable power of attorney will remain valid and effective even if the principal becomes incapacitated.

Durable Power of Attorney Laws & Requirements in Vermont

How to Fill out a Durable Power of Attorney in Vermont

#1. Designate an Agent

Firstly, you should determine the person who will represent you before third parties and protect your interests. That person should be an adult with legal capacity. Moreover, it should be a person you can trust, especially if they have the authority to make decisions about your finances or medical care.

Once you have selected your agent, enter their full name and mailing address in the Vermont durable power of attorney form.

Here, you can also determine the successor agent. That is the person who will act in case the primary agent loses their legal capacity or, in some other way, becomes unable to represent you.

#2. Grant Authority

Once you have selected your agent, you must determine their scope of authority.

The Vermont durable power of attorney form provides three ways in which you can determine your agent’s scope of authority:

#3. Ensure the Form is Durable

In Vermont, a power of attorney is not presumed to be durable automatically. That means that you must include specific language to indicate the durability of your power of attorney.

#4. Sign the Form

The principal, or another person in their conscious presence, must sign the durable power of attorney. There must be at least one witness and a notary public who acknowledge the signature.

#5. Notarize the Form

In Vermont, the durable power of attorney must be notarized. The notary public will confirm the authenticity of the document and prevent any future disputes in this regard.

#6. Store Your Durable Power of Attorney Form

After drafting and signing the Vermont durable power of attorney, you should keep the original copy in your possession and store it in a safe place.

You can also give one copy to the agent so they can prove their capacity to any third party they are interacting with on your behalf.

How to Revoke a Durable Power of Attorney in Vermont

You can revoke the Vermont durable power of attorney by issuing a verbal or written revocation, destroying the document with the intention of revoking it or issuing a new power of attorney that will overrule the previous one.

However, the most efficient way of revoking the Vermont durable power of attorney is to issue the revocation letter. This letter should include the agent’s full name and the power of attorney issuing date.

To make the revocation effective, you should send one copy of the revocation letter to the agent and to every third party they interact with on your behalf.