Power of attorney is the authority to act legally for another person.
The power of attorney can be given for a single very specific task, such as writing checks on a single bank account, or it can cover all of your affairs. You can give someone power of attorney that remains effective if you become disabled or incompetent. You also can grant someone, like a babysitter, temporary power of attorney to make emergency decisions for your children. If you become mentally or physically incapable and have not designated a person to have durable power of attorney, then someone must be appointed as your conservator or guardian in order to pay your bills. That alternative is likely to be both complicated and expensive, since the court supervises the conservatorship and may require the conservator to post a bond.