37. You Have Power of Attorney. Why Won’t They Accept It?

You finally have the power of attorney for your elderly parent in your hand, you call to use it, and the answer is still no. Last week I told you about the insurance agent who kept asking me to send the POA. So I sent it, and what happened next was a little different than I expected. In this episode I share it with you.

You will hear why a signed power of attorney does not always open every door. Many banks, insurance companies, and offices have their own forms and their own rules, and some places, like Social Security and the VA, work differently. I explain the difference between a durable and a springing power of attorney in plain words, and what to ask when a company says no, so you are not starting over each time. If you are the daughter or caregiver who ends up on the phone for your aging parent, this one is for you. This episode is education, not legal advice. Laws differ from state to state and can change, so talk with an elder law attorney in your state.

Proverbs 15:22 says plans fail without good advice, but with many advisers they succeed. Getting the right experts around you is one way we love our parents well. If you missed last week, start with Episode 36, Send Me the Power of Attorney: Why a Parent’s Verbal OK Fails.

Join the wait list for my online course on getting your aging parent’s affairs organized before a crisis: their documents, money, safety, health care, and who is on your care team. Put me on the wait list

© 2026 Selective Ideas, Inc. All rights reserved. Navigating Elderly Parents is produced by Selective Ideas, Inc.Educational & Informational Purposes Only. This podcast is general education, not legal, financial, tax, insurance, medical, therapeutic, or mental health advice, and should not be your only basis for any decision. The host is not an attorney, doctor, or financial advisor. Guests may be licensed professionals, but nothing here creates an attorney-client or any other professional relationship. Guest views are their own. We do not diagnose or give individual advice, and we cannot guarantee any result. Your parent has rights: if they can legally make their own decisions, those decisions belong to them. Do not act for them without their permission or proper legal authority, like a power of attorney. Laws differ by state and change. Before you sign or use any legal document, talk with an elder law attorney in your state. You use this information at your own risk. In a medical emergency, call 911.