California’s Power of Attorney Is Changing in 2027
California has updated its statutory power of attorney form for the first time in years, with a new version set to take effect January 1, 2027.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2199 into law on June 30, 2026. The legislation revises California’s Uniform Statutory Form Power of Attorney, modernizing the form to better reflect the types of decisions, assets, and circumstances families encounter today.
While the changes do not mean Californians need to immediately replace an existing power of attorney, they offer a timely reminder of just how important this document can be within a comprehensive estate plan.
What Is Changing Under AB 2199?
A power of attorney allows an individual, known as the principal, to authorize another person to act on their behalf in financial and property matters. Depending on how the document is structured, that authority can become particularly important if the principal is later unable to manage those matters independently.
AB 2199 updates California’s statutory form in several notable ways.
Successor Agents Can Be Named More Clearly
The revised form expressly provides for the appointment of successor agents who can step in if the originally named agent is unable or unwilling to serve.
Choosing the right person to act is important, but so is considering what happens if that person is unavailable when the authority is actually needed. For an estate plan intended to remain effective for many years, building in that kind of continuity can be significant.
Digital Assets Get Greater Attention
Perhaps the most distinctly modern change involves digital assets and electronic communications.
The revised statutory form provides options for granting an agent authority over digital assets, including access to a catalogue of electronic communications, the content of electronic communications, or both.
That reflects a reality that has changed considerably since California’s current statutory form was adopted. Financial and personal lives increasingly exist online, from electronically maintained accounts and records to digital property and communications.
Digital access can therefore become an important part of incapacity and estate planning rather than an afterthought.
The Form Addresses Conservatorship Nominations
The new form also allows an individual to nominate the agent or co-agents to serve as conservator of the estate if a conservatorship proceeding later becomes necessary.
A power of attorney is generally designed, in part, to give someone authority to manage affairs without requiring court intervention. But circumstances do not always unfold as planned. Giving thought in advance to who should serve if a conservatorship does become necessary can add another layer of direction to an estate plan.
What Happens to Existing Powers of Attorney?
The arrival of a new statutory form does not mean a properly executed existing power of attorney automatically becomes invalid on January 1, 2027.
AB 2199 specifically addresses powers of attorney executed before the new form takes effect. The change is primarily about modernizing the statutory form California provides going forward.
Still, a change in the law can provide a useful reason to look at a much more practical question: Does your existing document still reflect your life and your wishes?
The person you trusted as an agent ten years ago may no longer be the person you would choose today. Your assets may have changed. Your family circumstances may be different. And your digital life almost certainly looks different than it did when many older estate plans were created.
A Small Change That Reflects a Bigger Shift
AB 2199 may appear at first glance to be an update to a legal form. But the changes reflect something larger: estate planning documents have to function in the world people actually live in.
Today, that world includes digital property, online accounts, changing family structures, longer lifespans, and financial lives that can be considerably more complex than they were a generation ago.
A well-designed estate plan should account not only for what happens after death, but also for who can step in, what authority they will have, and how smoothly important financial and personal matters can continue if help is needed during life.
For individuals and families who have not reviewed their estate planning documents recently, the approaching 2027 change offers another good reason to make sure the plan they have is still the plan they want.