Lighthouse Law, S.C.

What is a delegation of parental authority?

There is a statute in Wisconsin, Wis. Stat. sec. 48.979. It says that a parent may give another adult the power to act as a parent of his or her child, temporarily, for up to a year, just by signing a document.

Many people sign this type of power of attorney to delegate parental authority to whoever is watching their children while they travel. That way, a school or hospital will know that the person who has custody does have the right to make parental decisions for your child.

There is also a form for the Delegation of Parental Authority available on many county websites. Having a witness or notarization is optional for this document.

Do I need an attorney to sign POAs?

POAs have serious consequences. It is a good idea to talk to an attorney before signing a POA to make sure you understand what you are signing and all the authority the agent will have. Also, there are strict rules about how POAs must be witnessed in order to be effective. A financial POA needs to be notarized, and a health care POA needs two qualified witnesses.

The state Department of Health Services provides standard forms of power of attorney for finances and health care.

Lighthouse Law SC has experience with powers of attorney and would be happy to answer questions about them or help you prepare and sign them.

Lighthouse Law, S.C.
74 S. Main St., Ste. 106
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
(920)393-7424
fax (920)471-4319