What are the legal responsibilities of the person who has DPOA

abc123

My dad's brother (74) has DPOA over my dad (85) undiagnosed, and is executor over dad's trust. Dad's brother lives in another state and has a full/busy/happy life. I am very worried about my dad since an accident last year. He is having cognitive issues. I am overseeing mom's care and now trying to keep up with dad. He closes on the new house on the 18th of this month. He is rushing to get things done and causing unnecessary confusion and doubling my work load. I am sinking here. My sister is coming Saturday to help. What can I/should I expect from my uncle the DPOA over everything? He is a reasonable man and has the gift of being calm.

Thank you all in advance for any info you can share with me.

I am sinking. 

Quilting brings calm

The POA has authority to act on the person’s behalf, but the person can handle things himself too. If your Dad is considered competent, your uncle could conceivably  do nothing.    The real responsibility would come when your dad could no longer handle things himself and then the DPOA would be the person legally able to handle his affairs.  It also depends on what is in the document.  Our states has a long list of things the person can grant authority to or vice-versa, exclude from the DPOA.  My Mom didn’t exclude anything so I could handle everything listed. ,  My step-dad said he would only sign a document allowing me to talk to insurance  companies  on his behalf - I declined. So I only have a  medical POA document on his behalf. 

jfkoc

Ditto...the details are in the documents. You might approach you uncle to go over the papers with you in order to see how you can help and to have a good visit with him about the status of your father.

M1

Bless you abc. Don't sink...we're here to buoy each other up.

Pat6177

abc123, I’m sorry you have so many balls in the air at one time. I agree with the other posters as far as the DPOA and hopefully Crushed will provide his wisdom. Meanwhile, if your uncle is calm, maybe a chat with him in the near future, asking him to check in with your father and try to calm him might be helpful. Your father might accept certain comments from your uncle that he wouldn’t accept from you. Just a thought… Hang in there.