An agent is a "fiduciary". As a result, the agent must act with the utmost honesty in carrying out the wishes of the person who has appointed the agent to act. While a Power of Attorney may appoint an agent to serve for a limited purpose or for a limited period of time, most Powers of Attorney give broad authority to the agent. Third parties are entitled to rely upon information and instructions given to them on your behalf by your agent. For example, if your agent signs a check on your account, and the bank has received a copy of the Power of Attorney from you or from the agent, the bank is entitled to honor the check as though it were signed by you. As you can see, naming someone to serve as your agent gives that person substantial power over your financial affairs. As a result, careful thought should be given to the person or persons that you select to serve as your agent.