Power Of Attorney ,question???

Q: My wife will be traveling out of the country for a few months, including some serious financial paper times (read: Tax season, auto and student loans, etc). An advisory I read from the US Govt said to get power of attorney and all will be well. So my questions is: Where the heck to I get a power of attorney form? I check with two lawers offices in town and neither believed that there was such a form, but both offered to write one up for me for $150. I don't think so - All i need is something which says "I Mrs Cohen hereby give all legal rights for my husband Mr Cohen to act on my behlaf on all matters." So where do I get such a form ... and when I do, how do I use it -- read: I just filled out our join income taxes and I need her signature. What do I do where it says spouse's signature? Do I sign her name and attach a note, leave it blank or sign my name and attach a note and/or a copy of the original, notorized POA form? Do I need multiple original drafts of the POA form? or can they look at my original if the need should ever arise that they doubt the signature/copy. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

A: -As a practical matter, not all the people you'll sign for will be happy with any one P of A you provide. Go to your bank, and get their form. Fill it out. Go to your investment company, fill out theirs. Do so with all important institutions, etc., where you may have to sign for her. Then get a general power of attorney. Probably get a new attorney, too. $150 is too much for a P of A. It should be about 1/3 of that. Only your wife will need to sign it, though it may be a good idea to have yours on there, for comparison - in case a copy falls into someone else's hand. Make lots of originals, since every one will want an original for their records, and it's so easy to make up a bunch of extras now, and so difficult to tdo it later. Above all, don't go to a stationary store and do it yourself. Your legal bills to straighten things out later on will be much higher than the fees you'll save. -Of course the attorney told you he would do one for $150 he's out to make money. I think I saw one at the local book store the last time I was there. In fact there is some shareware legal forms on a lot of bulletin boards that can be used. Just get it notarized and a couple of copies are always nice. I believe the form will explain what you have to do, I think all you do is sign her name but I've been wrong at least once in my life

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