Most people never even think to ask this question -- the role feels like something family does for family, no different from any other favor. But depending on how things unfold, this can turn into a real, ongoing time commitment: managing bills, coordinating with banks, handling paperwork, sometimes for months or years. Whether that deserves compensation is worth actually deciding, not defaulting into.
There's no single right answer here, and both choices are common. What matters is that it's a deliberate decision, not an assumption nobody actually discussed.
"Family often serves without expecting payment. That doesn't mean payment isn't fair -- it means it's worth actually deciding, not just assuming."
What's Worth Thinking Through
How much is actually likely to be involved
A POA that may only ever handle a few signatures is different from one that could mean years of ongoing account management.
What feels fair to you, not just tradition
Some families default to unpaid service out of habit, without ever asking whether that's actually the fairest arrangement.
How other family members might perceive it
If one sibling is compensated for this role and others aren't involved at all, it's worth being able to explain the reasoning if asked.
Reasonable compensation, not open-ended
If you do decide on payment, many people set a clear structure -- a flat fee, an hourly rate, or reimbursement for specific expenses -- rather than leaving it vague.
None of this needs to be complicated. It just needs to be an actual decision you've made on purpose, one you could explain clearly if anyone ever asked about it.
It's common for someone to assume their chosen agent will simply serve for free, the same way family often does with an executor role -- without ever considering that the role could stretch on for years if a health decline is gradual rather than sudden. By the time that becomes clear, the agent may feel unable to raise the subject of compensation themselves, even if the burden has become genuinely significant.
A Reflection Before You Decide
Check off what's true for you right now. There's no scoring here — just a clearer read on where your thinking actually stands.
What Comes Next
Whether you've already decided on compensation or you've never really thought about it, instinct alone isn't quite enough to be sure you've landed on the fairest arrangement. This is a small decision that's easy to overlook, and easy to actually settle once you sit down with it directly.
That's exactly what the Financial POA Workbook inside the Estate Prep Partners system helps with: working through details like this clearly, so nothing important gets left as an unspoken assumption.
Decide on compensation deliberately, not by default
The Financial POA Workbook helps you think through details like compensation clearly, before you ever get to your attorney's office.
Get started — $299 →