The gap between protected and exposed
These aren't edge cases. They happen to families every day — usually on a Tuesday, when no one expected it.
Durable vs. Medical vs. Financial
Not all powers of attorney are the same. Here's exactly what each one covers, who it protects, and what's missing if you don't have it.
| Category | Durable POABroadest protection | Medical POAHealth decisions | Financial POAMoney & assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage | |||
| What it coversKey | Broad authority — financial + healthcare | Healthcare decisions only | Financial transactions only |
| Who it authorizes | One or more trusted agents | Healthcare proxy / agent | Financial agent or co-signer |
| Geographic scope | All 50 states (with proper execution) | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Activation | |||
| When it activatesKey | Immediately upon signing (or at incapacity) | Only upon incapacity | Immediately or upon incapacity |
| Incapacity required? | |||
| Can be time-limited? | |||
| Survives incapacity? | |||
| Gaps Without It | |||
| Medical decisionsKey | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered | Not covered |
| Bank account access | ✓ Covered | Not covered | ✓ Covered |
| Business contract signing | ✓ Covered | Not covered | ✓ Covered |
| Real estate transactions | ✓ Covered | Not covered | ✓ Covered |
| Without any POA | Court appoints guardian | Doctors decide alone | Accounts freeze |
| Best For | |||
| Ideal forKey | Aging parents, comprehensive planning | Anyone with health concerns | Business owners, investors |
| Shield recommends | Always — foundational document | Pair with durable POA | Pair with durable POA |
Shield recommends starting with a Durable POA
It covers the broadest range of scenarios and can be paired with targeted medical or financial documents as your needs evolve.
Check Your Coverage in 2 Minutes
Five plain-language questions. A clear picture of where your family stands.
Is your family protected?
Five questions about your current documents. No legal jargon. Your answers stay private — we use them only to show you where the gaps are.
The quiet click of something finally secured
Three families. Three different reasons. One thing in common — they didn't wait for the crisis to arrive.
"My father had a stroke in October. Because we'd done the paperwork with Shield three months earlier, I was authorized to speak with his doctors within an hour. Without it, we would have been waiting for a court order."
"We got married in June and finally did this in August. It felt like locking the front door — something we should have done immediately but kept putting off. The whole process took about 40 minutes total."
"I travel internationally for client meetings four times a year. Before Shield, if something happened, my business partner couldn't sign a single contract. Now she's authorized. That's real peace of mind."
From intake to signed document — in 24 hours
Complete the intake
A 12-minute questionnaire about your situation, your agents, and your wishes. No legal jargon.
Attorney review
A licensed attorney reviews your intake and drafts documents specific to your state's requirements.
Sign and notarize
We guide you through execution — including remote notarization options available in most states.
The documents that speak
when you can't
Most families don't realize the gap exists until a hospital calls. Closing it takes 12 minutes. Leaving it open can cost years.