Choose Who Makes Decisions for You — Before That Choice Is Taken Away

In Louisiana, the legal document most people call a "power of attorney" goes by a different name: a mandate. Whether you've been searching for a power of attorney lawyer in Louisiana or trying to figure out whether your out-of-state paperwork will hold up here, you're in the right place. A properly drafted mandate gives someone you trust the legal authority to handle your financial or medical affairs if you're ever unable to do so yourself — and under Louisiana law, getting the details right matters.

What Louisiana Calls a "Mandate" — and Why the Terminology Matters

Louisiana is a civil law state, which means its legal framework differs from the common law system used in most other states. What other states call a durable power of attorney, Louisiana calls a mandate. The substance is similar — you designate a trusted person (called a mandatary) to act on your behalf — but the formalities are not interchangeable. A document drafted under another state's laws may not be recognized here, and templates pulled from the internet often fail to meet Louisiana's specific requirements. If you've moved to Louisiana from another state, or if you're working with documents prepared elsewhere, it's worth having them reviewed before you rely on them.

Financial Mandate

A financial mandate authorizes your designated person to manage your property, accounts, and financial affairs. Louisiana requires that any mandate covering property or financial matters be in writing and properly notarized — a step that out-of-state forms frequently omit or handle incorrectly. The scope of authority can be as broad or as limited as you choose: you can authorize someone to pay bills and manage bank accounts, handle real estate transactions, file taxes, or any combination of specific powers you define. We draft financial mandates that reflect what you actually want — not a one-size document that hands over more authority than you intended.

Medical Mandate

A medical mandate — sometimes called a healthcare power of attorney in other states — designates someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf if you're incapacitated and unable to communicate your wishes. This is a separate document from a financial mandate, and it serves a distinct purpose. Your medical mandatary can speak with doctors, consent to or refuse treatment, and make decisions about your care based on the guidance you've given them. Keeping financial and medical authority in separate documents gives you cleaner control over who handles what — and makes it easier for institutions and providers to act on each document without confusion.

Why a Mandate Belongs in Your Plan Now

Most people think of incapacity planning as something for later — after a diagnosis, after a health scare, after things get complicated. But a mandate is most useful when it's already in place. Courts don't require a crisis to honor a mandate, but they do require one to be signed before incapacity occurs. Without a mandate, your family may have to pursue a legal interdiction proceeding — Louisiana's version of guardianship — to gain the authority to act on your behalf. That process is slow, expensive, and public. A mandate avoids it entirely.

 

This planning is relevant at every stage of life. Younger adults preparing for the unexpected, middle-aged clients thinking through what happens if something goes wrong, and seniors formalizing the decisions they've already discussed with family — all of them benefit from having a valid mandate in place before it's needed.

How We Draft Mandates at Goode Tax and Estate Planning

We don't use off-the-shelf templates. Every mandate we draft is written to match your situation — your relationships, your assets, your preferences, and the level of authority you want to give. Carl Goode and Kim work directly with clients throughout this process, which means the attorneys drafting your documents are the same people who sat down with you to understand your goals.

 

Our approach includes:

 

  • A consultation to understand your financial picture, your healthcare preferences, and who you trust to act on your behalf
  • Separate financial and medical mandates drafted to Louisiana's specific requirements
  • Clear explanation of what each document authorizes — and what it doesn't
  • Proper notarization handled through our office so your documents are valid and ready to use
  • Coordination with your broader estate plan, including your will, trust, or living will, as appropriate

Mandate Planning as Part of a Broader Incapacity Strategy

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Free Initial Phone Consultation

A mandate is one piece of a complete incapacity plan. Many clients pair their financial and medical mandates with a living will — a document that records your specific wishes about end-of-life medical treatment, so your medical mandatary has clear guidance to follow. If you're researching both documents, our living wills page covers how that document works and when it applies.

 

Together, a financial mandate, a medical mandate, and a living will give your family a complete framework for acting on your behalf — without court involvement, without ambiguity, and without having to guess what you would have wanted.

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Drafting Tailored to Louisiana Law

We start with a phone call — no charge, no obligation. You'll speak with someone who can answer your questions about Louisiana mandates, explain what documents make sense for your situation, and give you a clear picture of what the process looks like before you commit to anything.

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Signing and Finalization

Once we understand your goals, we draft your mandate documents to meet Louisiana's specific formality requirements. We explain every provision in plain language so you know exactly what authority you're granting, to whom, and under what circumstances — before you sign anything.

 

We handle the notarization required under Louisiana law and make sure your documents are properly executed and ready to use. You'll leave with documents your bank, your doctors, and Louisiana courts will recognize — not a template that might fall apart when it matters most.

Credentials That Matter When the Stakes Are High

Carl Goode has held the Super Lawyers designation for approximately 15 years — a recognition reserved for the top 5% of attorneys in Louisiana. The firm also holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating, the highest peer-review rating available in the legal profession. These aren't marketing designations — they reflect a track record that other attorneys and clients have evaluated and endorsed over many years.

 

When you're putting someone in charge of your finances or your medical care, the attorney drafting that authority should have credentials that stand up to scrutiny. Ours do.

Common Questions About Louisiana Mandates and Powers of Attorney

  • Does Louisiana recognize a durable power of attorney from another state?

    Louisiana may recognize out-of-state documents in some circumstances, but the state's civil law framework means its requirements differ significantly from common law states. Documents drafted outside Louisiana often lack the notarization or specific language Louisiana requires, which can cause them to be rejected by banks, healthcare providers, or courts. If you've moved here or have documents prepared elsewhere, have them reviewed by a Louisiana attorney before relying on them.

  • How do I set up a mandate in Louisiana?

    A Louisiana mandate must be in writing and, for financial or property matters, must be notarized. You designate a mandatary — the person authorized to act on your behalf — and specify the scope of their authority. An attorney drafts the document to match your situation, you sign it before a notary, and the document is then valid for use. We handle the entire process, including notarization, through our office.

  • What is the difference between a financial mandate and a medical mandate in Louisiana?

    A financial mandate authorizes someone to manage your property, accounts, and financial transactions. A medical mandate authorizes someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. These are separate documents that serve different purposes, and it's common — and advisable — to designate different people for each role depending on who is best suited to handle financial versus medical decisions.

  • What happens if I become incapacitated without a mandate in place?

    Without a valid mandate, your family has no automatic legal authority to manage your finances or make medical decisions for you. To gain that authority, they would need to pursue an interdiction proceeding through Louisiana courts — a process that is time-consuming, expensive, and public. A properly executed mandate avoids that process entirely by establishing your chosen representative before a crisis occurs.

  • Can I limit what my mandatary is allowed to do?

    Yes. A mandate does not have to grant broad, unlimited authority. You can specify exactly which powers your mandatary holds — for example, authorizing them to pay bills and manage a bank account but not to sell real estate. We draft mandates to reflect the level of authority you're comfortable granting, so the document serves your intentions rather than exceeding them.

Ready to Put Someone You Trust in Charge — On Your Terms

A Louisiana mandate is one of the most practical documents in any estate plan, and one of the most frequently overlooked. We make the process straightforward: one conversation, documents drafted to Louisiana's requirements, and a clear record of who you've authorized to act on your behalf. Call us at 225-663-8076 or use the link below to schedule your free initial phone consultation.