How do I know if I signed one?

If you signed a batch of “adulting paperwork” around your 18th birthday or before leaving for college, there’s a real chance a power of attorney was in it. Here’s how to find out for sure—and what to do if you can’t.

When it typically happens

• Right around your 18th birthday (“now that you’re an adult, we need to sign some things”)
• The summer before college, often alongside FERPA waivers and health forms
• At a doctor’s office or bank (“sign this so we can keep helping you”)
• During a family trip to a lawyer or notary you didn’t schedule

A POA signing often involves a notary stamp or witnesses—if you remember signing something official-feeling in front of a stranger with a stamp, that’s a strong clue.

How to check

1. Ask directly. “Do you have a power of attorney for me? Can I get a copy?” You have every right to a copy of anything you signed. You don’t need to explain why, and asking commits you to nothing.
2. Ask your bank and doctor’s office. Ask whether anyone is authorized on your accounts or records, and on what basis. If a POA is on file, they can tell you—and often show you the document itself.
3. Search your email and files. Scans of signed documents, messages from a lawyer’s office, or notary appointment confirmations around the relevant dates.
4. County recorder search (rare, but free). POAs involving real estate are sometimes recorded with the county. Most parental POAs are never recorded, so an empty result proves nothing.

Can’t confirm it? You can revoke anyway.

Here’s the reassuring part: you don’t need to find the document—or even be sure it exists—to revoke it. A revocation cancels any power of attorney it describes. If it turns out nothing existed, the revocation simply has nothing to cancel; it doesn’t hurt anything. Think of it as changing the locks when you’re not sure who has a key.

The revocation form works fine with approximate details—if you don’t know the exact date or type, our form lets you say so, and the document is worded accordingly.