Free Iowa Limited Power of Attorney Form

An Iowa limited power of attorney authorizes an agent to act for you on specific tasks you name. Chapter 633B of the Iowa Code, Iowa’s version of the Uniform Power of Attorney Act, governs it.

Iowa’s execution rule has a few firm requirements. Here’s what it asks for.

Notarization Isn’t Optional

You must acknowledge the document before a notary public or another authorized official (Iowa Code § 633B.105). Once acknowledged, the signature is presumed genuine.

Your Agent Can’t Be the Notary

That same section bars an agent named in the document from notarizing your signature. So use a notary who has no role in the document.

A Helper Can Sign, But Not Your Agent

If you can’t sign, another individual can sign your name in your conscious presence at your direction. That helper can’t be a prospective agent under the document (§ 633B.105).

Timing and Out-of-State Documents

A document signed in Iowa on or after July 1, 2014 is valid when it meets those rules (§ 633B.106(1)). Older ones are judged under the law in force when signed (§ 633B.106(2)). In addition, one signed elsewhere can be valid if it met the governing jurisdiction’s law at the time (§ 633B.106(3)).

Your Agent Takes On Duties

Under the 2014 act, a person generally accepts the role by exercising authority or performing duties as an agent. Once they accept, they must act according to your reasonable expectations as far as they know them, and otherwise in your best interest.

Yes, for any document the chapter covers. Iowa’s execution section requires an acknowledgment before a notary or other authorized official, whether the authority is broad or narrow. However, the 2014 act excluded a few items. One is a power created on a government-prescribed form for a governmental purpose.

That requirement also helps the people who receive it. A person who accepts an acknowledged document in good faith may rely on the presumption that the signature is genuine, unless they know otherwise (§ 633B.119(2)). They may also rely on it as valid and in effect, absent actual knowledge of a problem (§ 633B.119(3)). As a result, an Iowa limited power of attorney gives banks a clear basis for working with your agent.

Your notary appointment is the key step. Prepare for it like this:

1. Write out the specific task and your agent’s name.
2. Choose a notary who isn’t named in the document, since your agent can’t take the acknowledgment.
3. Decide whether your incapacity should end the authority, and say so if it should.
4. Sign in front of the notary, or direct a non-agent helper to sign for you.
5. Have the notary complete the acknowledgment.
6. Give your agent the signed document, and keep a copy.

If someone signs for you, choose a person who won’t serve as your agent. Iowa’s execution section rules out any prospective agent for that role.

Your Iowa limited power of attorney works best when it stays focused. Include:

• Each party’s legal name
• The exact task, with details like an account number or property address
• Compensation terms, if any
• Clear start and stop points
• A statement that your incapacity ends the authority, if that’s your choice
• Your signature above a completed notarial certificate

Under the 2014 act, a power of attorney under the chapter is durable unless it expressly says your incapacity ends it. So state your choice clearly rather than leaving it to the default.