You’ve Named a Power of Attorney—Now What? Maryland-Specific Next Steps

Taking that first step toward protecting your future is a major accomplishment. But once your Power of Attorney (POA) is signed and notarized, there are a few important next steps that ensure your plan works when it’s needed, not just if.

Here’s what to do next:

✅ Don’t Assume It’s Accepted—Check with Your Financial Institutions
Maryland law is on your side, but some institutions still require extra steps. Under Maryland's Estates & Trusts Article 17-104, financial institutions must accept a Power of Attorney that complies with Maryland law. If they refuse to accept a valid POA, they can be held liable for attorney’s fees and even compelled by court order to honor it.

That said, many financial institutions exercise extra caution when granting access, especially to accounts with sensitive or substantial assets. For example:

• Capital One requires a formal online submission with extensive information about your agent—including their full name, Social Security number, date of birth, state of origin, phone number, and email—before they will authorize access.

• Charles Schwab has its own POA form and recommends submitting your executed Power of Attorney to their legal department for pre-approval.

• Fidelity Investments offers specific financial POA forms based on account type, which may be required in addition to your existing documents.

Bottom line? Don’t assume your signed POA is ready for action. Call your bank and/or investment firm to find out if they have their own process or additional forms, and make sure your agent will be able to act without delay when the time comes.

✅Make Sure Your Agent Knows They’ve Been Chosen 

It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised. Talk to your chosen agent. Make sure they know they’ve been named, understand their responsibilities, and know where to access your documents.

✅Print and Organize Your Key Information
Keep a copy of your POA and a list of all your financial accounts in your estate planning binder. Include up-to-date login credentials and ensure your POA explicitly grants access to your digital assets. Without that language, your agent may run into legal roadblocks.

✅Plan for How You’ll Invoke It
A Power of Attorney doesn’t do much sitting in a drawer—you’ll want to decide how and when your agent should step in. Do you want to give verbal permission or prefer something in writing? While Maryland law allows either, putting it in writing avoids confusion and creates a clear record. Z Family Law offers a Maryland-specific document you can use to formally invoke your POA in writing, so your chosen agent knows exactly when they’re empowered to act.

✅Plan for How You’ll Revoke It
Your POA lasts until you revoke it or pass away. If you want the option to revoke it in writing, Z Family Law offers a Maryland-specific revocation form you can use. Verbal revocation is legally valid, but documenting it avoids confusion.

Your estate plan is only as strong as its follow-through.