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Home Personal & Family Power of Attorney Revocation

Revocation of Power of Attorney Form

Use our Revocation of Power of Attorney to remove someone’s power of attorney.

Updated May 30, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Susan Chai, Esq.

A Revocation of Power of Attorney form allows you to change your mind about who you want to act on your behalf for personal, healthcare, business, or legal matters. As the name suggests, you can revoke or cancel the power and authority previously granted to this person, known as your “Agent”.

Just as a Principal can create a Power of Attorney (POA), a Principal can also revoke that power.

A simple Revocation of POA should generally identify the following:

  • Who was the previous Agent with the POA
  • When the POA should be effectively revoked, usually immediately
Table of Contents
  • What is a Revocation of Power of Attorney?
  • How to Revoke a Power of Attorney
  • Reasons to Revoke a Power of Attorney
  • What Happens if You Don't Revoke Your Power of Attorney?
  • Revocation of Power of Attorney Sample

What is a Revocation of Power of Attorney?

Revocation of Power of Attorney is a legal document confirming that a principal (the signatory of the Power of Attorney) cancels the powers to act on their behalf granted to their Attorney-in-Fact (the person named and appointed as agent in the document ).

How to Revoke a Power of Attorney

To revoke the Power of Attorney, you’ll first need to fill out a Revocation of Power of Attorney form. Your form will identify the following essential elements:

  • Former Agent: name of the person previously allowed to act on the Principal’s behalf
  • Principal: name of the person previously wanting assistance with business or legal matters
  • Effective Date: when the Revocation begins, usually immediately
  • Signatures: the Principal and Notary must sign the form

Once you and the notary sign this legal document, the former Agent no longer has the authority to act on your behalf. Be sure to notify other individuals or institutions who have the POA on record of this change.

Reasons to Revoke a Power of Attorney

You may need to cancel or withdraw power given to a previous Agent for many reasons. You may need to revoke a POA if:

  • You become divorced or widowed
  • You return from being deployed overseas as military personnel
  • Your Agent is not acting in good faith or breaching their fiduciary duties
  • You are no longer traveling abroad and can manage your affairs
  • You complete your extensive travels abroad and have returned home
  • You had a bad experience with your current Agent and no longer trust them

Remember that a Medical Power of Attorney allows you to name someone to make health decisions if you are incapacitated.

According to a November 2012 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), older adults are particularly prone to be financially exploited by ill-meaning power of attorney agents. [1]  Fortunately, you can use a Power of Attorney Revocation to undo a bad appointment of an Agent and prevent elder abuse.

A 2012 documentary, Last Will and Embezzlement features Mickey Rooney and the potential for a POA to be abused by untrustworthy Agents. [2]

What Happens if You Don’t Revoke Your Power of Attorney?

If you do not cancel your previous Agent’s POA, the wrong person may have the legal authority to act on your behalf in important financial and business decisions.

By taking the time to create a Revocation of POA, you can prevent the following suffering:

  • The lost opportunity cost of…

    • Designating a more trustworthy individual to handle your financial matters
    • Untangling the financial or legal mess caused by an untrustworthy Agent
    • Trying to pursue an Agent who has zeroed out your accounts
  • Expensive lawyer fees to…

    • Dispute unauthorized transactions initiated by a previous Agent
    • Recover money inappropriately withdrawn from the Principal’s bank account
  • Mental anguish from…

    • Experiencing a breach of trust by an Agent who abused their power
    • Losing control over the proper conduct of your business
    • Being scammed by a bad Agent, losing your home, or being embezzled of life savings

Revocation of Power of Attorney Sample

You can download our free Revocation of Power of Attorney templates to revoke your agent’s powers. Use our blank PDF & Word docs, or go through our document builder for a filled-out, signed, and ready-to-be-used Revocation form.

revocation of power of attorney form

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Word

Legal Templates uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.

  1. National Strategy Needed to Effectively Combat Elder Financial Exploitation. (09, 2012). https://www.gao.gov/assets/660/650074.pdf
  2. Last Will and Embezzlement. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2048793/

Related Will & Estate Planning Documents

  • Durable Power of Attorney: Enable your agent to act on your behalf in certain affairs if you become incapacitated.
  • Limited (Special) Power of Attorney: Use our free Limited (Special) Power of Attorney form to authorize an agent to handle specific matters on your behalf.
  • Medical Power of Attorney: A Medical Power of Attorney allows you to name a health agent, someone who will make health decisions for you if you cannot. Your health care agent will...

Create Your Free Revocation of Power of Attorney in Minutes!

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