Wills and powers of attorney

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tiffany Colburn
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  When updating records and filing paperwork, some people don't think of their will or powers of attorney and just how important they really are.

For starters, there is more than one type of each document. When referring to wills, there are two different types; a living will and a will.

"A will ensures that your property and personal wishes are carried out in the event of your death," said Staff Sgt. Kassandra Tindal, 39th Air Base Wing Legal Office Noncommissioned Officer in Charge of general law.

Living wills cover health issues such as organ donation and whether or not a person wants to be kept alive by life support.

"A living will allows the individual to appoint someone to make decisions about their health in case of incapacitation," said Master Sgt. Brenda Knorr, 39th Air Base Wing Legal Office superintendent.

There is no specified age as to when someone should get a will, but after a significant life event such as getting married or having kids it is recommended to update or create one.

"It is easy to make a will or update your will," said Sergeant Tindal. "Just call the legal office, and set up an appointment. When you come in, you will meet with an attorney, get your will witnessed and notarized and you will leave the same day with your original copy."

The legal office doesn't keep copies of wills so when they need to be updated the process will have to start again.

"A good idea for people to remember is to give the people in their will a copy and let them know where the original one is kept," said Sergeant Tindal. "Also, people should keep their wills in a safe place such as a fire proof box, and a copy of their living wills in their medical records."

Another document that is sometimes confusing is a power of attorney. These are used so other people can act in your name to buy a house, ship vehicles, sell vehicles, ship household goods etcetera. There are two different types; special and general.

The general power of attorney gives the individual unlimited access and authority to act in your name. Not all agencies accept the general power of attorney such as when buying or selling a house. Most finance offices will also not accept a general power of attorney. When using a general power it is good to make it for a short period of time.

The special power of attorney gives the individual limits as to what the power entitles them to do.

"A special power of attorney is very specific. The person you choose to appoint is only authorized to act on your behalf for that specific purpose," said Sergeant Knorr. "The most common special powers of attorney that we do are for parents authorizing someone to care for their children in case they get deployed on short notice."

When making powers of attorney it is always good to be cautious when selecting who is appointed. With a general power of attorney individuals can open bank accounts and obtain credit cards. However, powers of attorney are only good for as long as you make them for.

"One of the common questions we are asked is how long you can make a power of attorney for," said Sergeant Tindal. "Here at Incirlik, the most we can do is one year."

For more information about filling out important documents and keeping them up-to-date, call the legal office at 676-6800.