At what age must a donor be to create a Power of Attorney?

A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows an individual to appoint someone else to manage their affairs, make decisions, and handle their financial matters in the event that they are unable to do so themselves. The age at which an individual can create a Power of Attorney typically aligns with the age of majority, which is when a person is legally recognized as an adult.

In most jurisdictions, including Canada and the United States, this age is set at 18. Therefore, an individual must be at least 18 years old to create a valid Power of Attorney. This requirement is in place to ensure that the person creating the document has the legal capacity to understand the ramifications of their decisions and to provide informed consent.

Any age below 18 may not allow for the legal recognition of the document, as minors are generally considered unable to enter into binding legal agreements without parental consent. Thus, while those younger than 18 may have the capacity to understand some basic legal concepts, the law requires that they be at least 18 to execute a Power of Attorney.