244.41 Authority that requires specific grant, grant of general authority.

(1) An agent under a power of attorney may do any of the following on behalf of the principal or with the principal's property only if the power of attorney expressly grants the agent the authority and the exercise of that authority is not otherwise prohibited by another agreement or instrument to which the authority or property is subject:

(a) Create, amend, revoke, or terminate an inter vivos trust.

(b) Make a gift.

(c) Create or change rights of survivorship.

(d) Create or change a beneficiary designation.

(e) Delegate authority granted under the power of attorney.

(f) Waive the principal's right to be a beneficiary of a joint and survivor annuity, including a survivor benefit under a retirement plan.

(g) Exercise fiduciary powers that the principal has authority to delegate.

(h) Disclaim property, including a power of appointment.

(i) Access the content of an electronic communication, as defined in s. 711.03 (6), sent or received by the principal.

(2) Notwithstanding a grant of authority to do an act described in sub. (1), unless the power of attorney otherwise provides, an agent who is not a spouse or domestic partner of the principal, may not do any of the following:

(a) Exercise authority under a power of attorney to create in the agent an interest in the principal's property, whether by gift, right of survivorship, beneficiary designation, disclaimer, or otherwise.

(b) Exercise authority under a power of attorney to create in an individual to whom the agent owes a legal obligation of support, an interest in the principal's property, whether by gift, right of survivorship, beneficiary designation, disclaimer, or otherwise.

(3) Subject to subs. (1), (2), (4), and (5), if a power of attorney grants to an agent the authority to do all acts that a principal could do, the agent has the general authority described in ss. 244.44 to 244.56.

(4) Unless the power of attorney otherwise provides, a grant of authority to make a gift is subject to s. 244.57.

(5) Subject to subs. (1), (2), and (4), if the subjects over which authority is granted in a power of attorney are similar or overlap, the broadest authority controls.

(6) Authority granted in a power of attorney is exercisable with respect to property that the principal has when the power of attorney is executed or acquires later, whether or not the property is located in this state and whether or not the authority is exercised or the power of attorney is executed in this state.

(7) An act performed by an agent pursuant to a power of attorney has the same effect and inures to the benefit of and binds the principal and the principal's successors in interest as if the principal had performed the act.

History: 2009 a. 319; 2015 a. 300.