---
title: 4 Reasons to Revisit Your Power of Attorney
description: Bellevue CPA describes 4 reasons to revisit your power of attorney.
image: https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/hubfs/POA.png
---
[](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/preview/)
- [What We Do](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do)
- [Tax Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/tax-services)
- [Client Accounting Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/client-accounting-services)
- [Advisory Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/advisory-services)
- [How We Do It](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it)
- [Our Process](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/our-process)
- [Industries we serve](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/industries)
- [Culture & Community](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/culture-community)
- [Giving Back](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/giving-back)
- [Partnership Network](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/partnership)
- [Who We Are](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are)
- [Our People](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/our-team)
- [Mission & Values](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/mission-values)
- [Our Passion](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/our-passion)
- [40+ Year History](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/history)
- [Careers](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers)
- [Benefits & Perks](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/benefits-perks)
- [Experienced Professionals](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/experienced-professionals)
- [SC Young Professionals](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/sc-young-professionals)
- [SC Summer Summit](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/summer-summit)
- [Job Opportunities](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/job-opportunities)
- [Get in Touch](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/get-in-touch)
- [Contact Us](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/get-in-touch/contact-us/)
- [Pay Online](https://www.quickfee.com/qsop?company=quickfeeus&creditor=SWEENEY)
- [Client Login](https://sweeneyconrad.sharefile.com/)
- [Our Insights](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/)
- [Newsletter](https://share.hsforms.com/189SwWa83QWmQ98wj4A6liQ2bure)
[](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/preview/)
[](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/preview/)
- [What We Do](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do)
- [Tax Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/tax-services)
- [Client Accounting Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/client-accounting-services)
- [Advisory Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/advisory-services)
- [How We Do It](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it)
- [Our Process](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/our-process)
- [Industries we serve](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/industries)
- [Culture & Community](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/culture-community)
- [Giving Back](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/giving-back)
- [Partnership Network](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/partnership)
- [Who We Are](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are)
- [Our People](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/our-team)
- [Mission & Values](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/mission-values)
- [Our Passion](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/our-passion)
- [40+ Year History](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/history)
- [Careers at SC](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers)
- [Benefits & Perks](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/benefits-perks)
- [Experienced Professionals](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/experienced-professionals)
- [SC Young Professionals](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/sc-young-professionals)
- [SC Summer Summit](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/summer-summit)
- [Job Opportunities](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/job-opportunities)
- [Get in Touch](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/get-in-touch)
- [Contact Us](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/get-in-touch/contact-us/)
- [Pay Online](https://www.quickfee.com/qsop?company=quickfeeus&creditor=SWEENEY)
- [Client Login](https://sweeneyconrad.sharefile.com/)
- [Our Insights](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/)
- [Newsletter](https://share.hsforms.com/189SwWa83QWmQ98wj4A6liQ2bure)
# 4 Reasons to Revisit Your Power of Attorney
By Melanie Abigania, CPA | May 24, 2021
[](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com)
INSIGHTS/BLOG
Although much of estate planning deals with what happens after you die, it’s equally important to have a plan for making critical financial or medical decisions if you’re unable to make them for yourself.
Carefully designed financial and health care powers of attorney allow you to designate a trusted person to make financial and medical decisions on your behalf in the event an illness or injury renders you unconscious or otherwise incapacitated. They also allow you to provide your designee with guidance on making these decisions, including your preferences regarding the use of life-sustaining medical procedures.
**Review and revise as needed**
Powers of attorney can provide peace of mind that your wishes will be carried out, but it’s important not to get lulled into a false sense of security. You should revisit these documents periodically in light of changing circumstances and consider executing new ones.
Possible reasons you may need new powers of attorney include:
- Your wishes have changed.
- The person you designated to act on your behalf has died or otherwise become unavailable.
- You’re no longer comfortable with the person you designated. (For example, perhaps you designated your spouse, but have since divorced.)
- If you’ve moved to another state, your powers of attorney may no longer work the way you intended. Certain terms have different meanings in different states, and states don’t all have the same procedural requirements. Some states, for example, require *durable* powers of attorney to be filed with the local county recorder or some other government agency.
**Honoring your powers of attorney**
Even if your circumstances haven’t changed, it’s a good idea to execute new powers of attorney every few years. Why? Because powers of attorney are effective only if they’re honored, and — because of liability concerns — some financial institutions and health care providers may be reluctant to honor documents that are more than a few years old.
Contact us with any questions regarding powers of attorney. We're here to further explain how they work or, if your estate plan already includes powers of attorney, help determine if you need to revise them or execute new documents.
### RECENT POSTS
### POSTS BY TAG
- [Tax (121)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/tax)
- [Audit & Assurance (73)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/audit-and-assurance)
- [Estate Planning (60)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/estate-planning)
- [News (29)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/news)
- [COVID-19 (26)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/covid-19)
- [Sweeney Conrad News (20)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/sweeney-conrad-news)
- [Retirement Reporter (17)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/retirement-reporter)
- [Sweeney Conrad Passion (16)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/sweeney-conrad-passion)
- [Sweeney Conrad People (15)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/people)
- [Employee Benefit Plans (14)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/employee-benefit-plans)
- [State and Local Tax (11)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/state-and-local-tax)
- [Sweeney Conrad Community (10)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/sweeney-conrad-community)
- [Advisory (5)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/advisory)
- [High Net Worth (5)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/high-net-worth)
- [Nonprofit Organizations & Private Foundations (5)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/nonprofit-organizations-private-foundations)
- [Business (4)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/business)
- [Sweeney Conrad People (4)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/sweeney-conrad-people)
- [CAAS (3)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/caas)
- [Insider (2)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/insider)
- [Real Estate & Construction (2)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/real-estate-construction)
- [Recruiting (2)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/recruiting)
- [Loca (1)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/loca)
- [Locally Owned (1)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/locally-owned)
- [Scams (1)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/scams)
- [Test (1)](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/tag/test)
See all
## Contact Us
Feel free to [email](mailto:information@sweeneyconrad.com) us or call [425.629.1990](tel:425-629-1990)
[Get in touch](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/preview/get-in-touch/contact-us/)
- [What We Do](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do)
- [Tax Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/tax-services)
- [Client Accounting Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/client-accounting-services)
- [Advisory Services](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/what-we-do/advisory-services)
- [How We Do It](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it)
- [Our Process](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/our-process)
- [Industries we serve](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/industries)
- [Culture & Community](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/culture-community)
- [Giving Back](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/giving-back)
- [Partnership Network](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/how-we-do-it/partnership)
- [Who We Are](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are)
- [Our People](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/our-team)
- [Mission & Values](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/mission-values)
- [Our Passion](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/our-passion)
- [40+ Year History](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/who-we-are/history)
- [Careers at SC](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers)
- [Benefits & Perks](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/benefits-perks)
- [Experienced Professionals](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/experienced-professionals)
- [SC Young Professionals](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/sc-young-professionals)
- [SC Summer Summit](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/summer-summit)
- [Job Opportunities](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/careers/job-opportunities)
- [Get in Touch](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/get-in-touch)
- [Contact Us](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/get-in-touch/contact-us/)
- [Pay Online](https://www.quickfee.com/qsop?company=quickfeeus&creditor=SWEENEY)
- [Client Login](https://sweeneyconrad.sharefile.com/)
- [Our Insights](https://blog.sweeneyconrad.com/)
- [Newsletter](https://share.hsforms.com/189SwWa83QWmQ98wj4A6liQ2bure)
10210 NE Points Dr. Suite 300
Kirkland WA 98033
[425.629.1990](tel:425-629-1990)
[information@sweeneyconrad.com](mailto:information@sweeneyconrad.com)
Proud to be a Member
[](https://www.allinialglobal.com)
Sweeney Conrad is the brand name under which Sweeney Conrad CPA LLP and Sweeney Conrad Advisors LLC provide professional services. Sweeney Conrad CPA LLP and Sweeney Conrad Advisors LLC practice as an alternative practice structure in accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable law, regulations and professional standards. Sweeney Conrad CPA LLP is a licensed independent CPA firm that provides attest services to its clients. Sweeney Conrad Advisors LLC and its subsidiary entities, which are not licensed CPA firms, provide tax, advisory, and other non-attest services to its clients. The entities falling under the Sweeney Conrad brand are independently owned and are not liable for the services provided by any other entity providing the services under the Sweeney Conrad brand. Our use of the terms "our firm" and "we" and "us" and terms of similar import, denote the alternative practice structure conducted by Sweeney Conrad CPA LLP and Sweeney Conrad Advisors LLC
[Privacy Policy](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/preview/privacy-policy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.sweeneyconrad.com/preview/terms-of-use)