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A Rhode Island power of attorney is a legal form that allows a person to legally convey their decision-making authority to someone they trust to represent their interests. This means that the appointed person, referred to as the Agent, would have the same legal decision-making power as the Principal, or person who granted them these powers. Because of the legal gravity of this document, it is important that the Principal has full faith that the Agent will not only act in their best interest but also be available when needed. This is often why Grantors will appoint Alternative Agents or will revoke a previous power of attorney. Rhode Island has several power of attorney documents available to Grantor's to use. Any power of attorney document that is used in Rhode Island must conform to Chapter 16-18 of the state's statutes.
The various types of power of attorney documents give the Principal full flexibility to only relinquish the powers that he or she wishes. For example, if a Grantor wishes to appoint someone to make medical decisions on their behalf if they are unable, they will appoint someone using an Advance Directive. If the Grantor also wanted someone to handle their finances, they will appoint either the same person or a different individual to do so using a Durable or General Power of Attorney form. Also, the Grantor should be aware that each document has a different set of signing requirements. Some documents will require notarization, while others will only require the signature of the Grantor.