What a Power of Attorney Actually Does
A power of attorney lets you name someone you trust to act for you — signing documents, paying bills, handling property, or making medical decisions — if you can't do it yourself. It sounds like paperwork for people in nursing homes. It isn't. A car accident, a sudden hospitalization, or a few weeks out of the country can all create the same problem: a decision has to be made and nobody has legal authority to make it.
Without these documents, your family may have to ask a court to appoint a guardian or conservator. That takes time, costs money, and puts a judge in the middle of private family matters. A properly drafted power of attorney, signed while you're healthy and thinking clearly, avoids all of it.
At Kanu & Associates, P.C.powers of attorney are part of our estate planning practice. We help clients prepare practical estate planning documents designed for their family, property, health care, and legacy goals — and the power of attorney is usually the first one we talk about, because it's the one that matters while you're still here.
The Documents Most Families Need
"Power of attorney" is really a family of documents. Which ones you need depends on your situation, your property, and who you want making decisions. We'll walk through each one with you before anything gets drafted.
- Durable financial power of attorney — names an agent to handle banking, bills, real estate, taxes, and business matters, and stays in effect if you become incapacitated.
- Health care power of attorney — names someone to make medical decisions and speak with doctors when you cannot speak for yourself.
- Mental health care power of attorney — a separate Arizona document covering mental health treatment decisions, often overlooked in do-it-yourself kits.
- Living will — puts your own wishes about end-of-life care in writing so your agent isn't guessing.
- Limited or special power of attorney — narrow authority for one transaction or one period of time, such as a property closing or a stretch of travel.
- Powers of attorney for business owners — authority to sign on behalf of a company, coordinated with your operating agreement and corporate records.
Because we also handle business law and real property matters, residential and commercial, we can make sure a financial power of attorney lines up with how your assets are actually titled. That's where generic forms tend to fall apart — the document says one thing and the deed or the LLC says another.
How We Handle Power of Attorney Work
The process is straightforward and usually doesn't take long. We start with a conversation about who you'd trust, what you own, and what you're worried about. We explain the options in plain language. Then we draft the documents, review them with you line by line, and make sure they're signed and witnessed the way Arizona or New Mexico law requires — because a document executed incorrectly is worth nothing when a bank or hospital asks to see it.
We also talk about the harder questions most form kits skip: what happens if your first choice of agent can't serve, whether two people should act together, how much authority to give over gifts and real estate, and when the authority should begin.
Solomon Kanu brings more than two decades of legal experience to this work. He was admitted to practice in Arizona in 2001, before the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona in 2001, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2002, and he is a member of the State Bar of New Mexico. He earned his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1999. In 2012 the State Bar of Arizona named him one of the Top 20 Solo Practitioners in Arizona.
What sets Dr. Kanu apart is his meticulous attention to detail and commitment to his clients' success.
The firm holds a 4.3 out of 5 rating from 152 reviews. Attention to detail is exactly what you want in documents your family may rely on during the worst week of their lives.
Talk to Our Estate Planning Attorneys
If you've been meaning to get this handled, or a family member's health has made it urgent, call us. We take time to understand your goals, explain your options, and help you move forward with confidence. Many clients come to us looking for an estate planning attorney in Goodyear and nearby West Valley communities, and we serve clients throughout Arizona and New Mexico.
Call (602) 324-5320email solomon@kanulaw.comor visit us at 15150 W Pk Pl Ste 215-2064, Goodyear, AZ 85395. Our office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm.