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Can a POA change the executor of a will?

Author

Jackson Reed

Updated on February 20, 2026

A person with power of attorney (POA) cannot change a will. However, someone with this has broad authority outside of will revisions. For a last will and testament, only the person drafting the document can make changes.

Does power of attorney supercede executor of a will?

The person who had power of attorney may well be the executor or administrator of the estate. So the fact that you had power of attorney has no influence over whether or not probate is needed. Instead, this will depend on what assets the deceased owned, and whether these assets were owned in their sole name.

Can your power of attorney also be your executor?

Can One Person Do Both? One person can serve as both your agent and the executor of your will. Power of attorney is only effective while you’re alive and executors only assume responsibilities once you pass away. However, you should keep in mind that these are both big jobs with a lot of responsibility.

Can a POA change beneficiaries?

A POA can change beneficiaries if the POA instrument allows it. Make sure you’re changing a beneficiary or adding one for a legitimate reason. Once you have a POA that allows you to change beneficiaries, changing beneficiaries is relatively simple and something you can do yourself.

Can 3 siblings have power of attorney?

Generally speaking, power of attorney does not authorize the attorney-in-fact to limit siblings’ access to their incapacitated parent. Power of attorney allows a trusted family member, friend, or professional (called an attorney-in-fact or agent) to handle financial matters for the person granting the power.

Can a POA gift to himself?

It is also possible for the principal to expressly authorize the agent to make any gifts that the agent believes will benefit the principal or the principal’s estate, including gifts to the agent himself.

Does a POA supercede a will?

Can a Durable Power of Attorney Override a Living Will? No. Your living will is a core estate planning document. A valid living will takes precedence over the decisions of a person with power of attorney.

Can a person with power of attorney change a will?

A power of attorney does not award the agent, or the person receiving it, the right to change the last will and testament of the person who gave it to him. However, it does give the agent broad powers that may potentially be abused.

Can a power of attorney be an executor of a will?

An agent with power of attorney and the executor of a will are two distinct legal roles that arise under different documents and laws.

Can a sister remove an executor of a mother’s will?

Given what you say, there may be grounds to remove her as executor of your mother’s will or, at the very least, force her to comply with her fiduciary duties. The time to act is now, and not in six months from now when she has plundered your mother’s estate and supplanted your mother’s wishes with her own.

Who is power of attorney for our mother?

My elder sister has power of attorney for our mother, who has dementia, but I find her difficult to deal with – she keeps me in the dark. Annalisa Barbieri advises a reader ‘I find my sister so slippery to deal with.’ Photograph: Posed by model//Getty Images/iStockphoto