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There are good reasons to have others other than a spouse be your POA.
I am going to take financial POA first. You should select someone at least 1 or 2 generations younger than you are. Most of the time the POA for finances is also the executor and that can be complicated, time consuming and exhausting. Much better suited for a younger person.
As to the POA for Health. I would name an alternate. If for any reason you can not make a decision there should be someone that can
. examples
You and your husband are both traveling and are in an accident you may not be able to make decisions for him nor he for you.
Or
He begins to develop cognition problems and you are hospitalized. What happens if the doctors determine that he is not competent to make decisions?
Sure in both cases "next of kin" would be contacted but now they need legal standing to make the decision that need to be made.

POA is not just about where your assets are and under who's name they are.
Talking to an Elder Care Attorney would help a lot. they can explain the need for POA's as well as other paperwork like Trusts.
Helpful Answer (9)
Reply to Grandma1954
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Yes, when they're 40. And the backup should be your accountant best friend or your nurse sister in law. By the time one or more kids is willing and able to handle it you can change the backup to them. Always have a backup who wants the job if needed and is young and in decent health.
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Reply to Slartibartfast
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Lizanna23, my parents were in their 90's and they had POA for each other. Find and dandy until my Dad had a medical emergency and had to be hospitalized. Mom didn't go to the hospital with Dad because of her age, she lost most of her hearing and eye-sight. She felt she couldn't understand the doctors if she was there.


I told my Dad I couldn't make any medical decisions for him since my Mom was his POA. That was a wake-up call for Dad, and he asked me to set up an appointment with an Attorney (Elder Law Attorney) so they could up-date their older than dirt legal documents. I then became the back-up POA for both parents. Glad they had a new Will drawn up as the previous one would have been a logistical nightmare as State and Federal laws had changed over all those years.
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Reply to freqflyer
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It's a fine idea to have your spouse as POA, BUT you should name a secondary or alternate POA of a younger generation in case the primary is unable to perform the role of POA.
I am my husband's medical POA, and his son is named as the secondary in case anything happens to me.
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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Not if you are old or either of you have dementia.
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Reply to JustAnon
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Was advised to do this plus have alternates, in event something happened to one of us and someone needed. Had our son as 1st poa and daughter 2nd. We were in good heakth til sudden event. Me, icu unconscious, could not act as poa for spouse who fell.And, son not always avsilable to receive call at job, so daughter was handling. Would have been a nightmare if no plans in place. Bills needed paying also. Consult with elder care attorney. Will then know how to proceed and handle other issues for pensions, etc.
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Reply to Memories42
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Yes.
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Reply to Evonne1954
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You trust each other so yes
it ensures each other. Can manage finances - property and health decisions if one becomes unable to. Can you imagine if you didn’t and your bank accounts were frozen -it’s amazing even With joint accounts what they can do and it all costs money to resolve
or someone wise making health decisions for you
you can gave another name as well out on ( if you trust them)
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Reply to Jenny10
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POA can be split. I have two kids with health care background, and they are both designated as medical POAs. The ones that live closest to us are general/fiscal POAs, since they are more easily able to arrange any needed care if my husband and I cannot take care of each other. Most important is to make a plan before you need it!
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Reply to DrBenshir
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