Home

Members Retirees Employers Legislation Search
IMRF Retiree Banner
bullet Member Access
bullet Employer Access
bullet IMRF Forms
bullet Publications
bullet Inactive Members
bullet Frequently Asked
    Questions (FAQ)
bullet About IMRF
bullet Employer Workshops
bullet Member Workshops
bullet Retiree Workshops
bullet en español
bullet Employment at IMRF
bullet Find IMRF Employers
bullet Board of Trustees
bullet Field Services
bullet Investments
bullet Endorsed Insurance
bullet Press Room
bullet Procurement
bullet For Reciprocal Systems
bullet Connect with IMRF
RSS Feed RSS Feeds

 

IMRF Accepts Durable Powers of Attorney
for Property


Changes to the Power of Attorney Law effective July 1, 2011

Public Act 096-1195 has implemented changes to Power of Attorney forms for both property and health care.  Forms completed on or after July 1, 2011, must include these legislative changes (valid forms completed before this date are grandfathered in—you do not need to complete a new form).

Forms are available through the Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Center.

(New Power of Attorney for Health Care forms are currently available; the Power of Attorney for Property form is still being revised and should be available by July 8, 2011.)


IMRF accepts Durable Powers of Attorney for property only, a Power of Attorney for health care has nothing to do with any matters regarding your IMRF account.

IMRF will accept agency designation under a durable power of attorney if it conforms with the requirements of the Illinois Power of Attorney Act. A copy of the entire designation must be submitted for our review. If the original designation is more than a year old, we will send the agent an affidavit that he or she must complete, sign, have notarized, and then return to our office in order for the power of attorney to be accepted.

A power of attorney also may limit the period of time for which it will be effective. The Illinois Power of Attorney Act allows the creation of a "Durable Power of Attorney." A power of attorney drafted under this act will continue in effect despite the grantor becoming incompetent or despite the appointment of a guardian.

A power of attorney not drawn in the form prescribed by the Illinois Power of Attorney Act will be subject to automatic revocation and invalidation if and when the person granting the power is legally determined to be a disabled person.

Please note that IMRF will allow a designated agent to act for the grantor in all aspects excluding the ability to change and sign a beneficiary form. An IMRF retiree is the only person who may sign and/or change an IMRF Designation of Beneficiary Form (Form 6.11A). Any other representative acting on the retiree’s behalf, including an agent under a POA, may not change or sign this form. A Form 6.11A signed by anyone other than the retiree is invalid and will not be accepted.

Therefore, it is important for you to make sure your Designation of Beneficiary form is up to date. If you can’t remember who your beneficiary is, we recommend that you fill out and submit a new Form 6.11A.

Some tips on submitting power of attorney to IMRF

There are a few reasons why a power of attorney will not be accepted by IMRF upon receipt. Taking the following steps can help expedite the processing of a power of attorney designation by IMRF:

  • Make sure the power of attorney you send us is for property and not health care.


  • Some documents will state that the power of attorney will not be valid unless it is accompanied by written physician's statement stating that the member is not competent to make his/her own decisions.

    Please be aware if this is a contingency of your document before you send it to IMRF, and include the physician's statement with your submission.

    If we receive a power of attorney that requires a physician's statement, and the physician's statement is not attached, we will request the written statement from the agent before accepting the power of attorney.

    The information can be added to the computer system without delay if all required documentation is received at one time.


  • If it is not already there, write the agent's current address and the member's Social Security number somewhere on the document. Sometimes there is more than one member with the same name in our computer system and having the Social Security number on the document is very helpful.

For more information about designating power of attorney, consult a lawyer.


If you have questions regarding IMRF, Communicate with Us.

| Home Page | Members | Retirees | Employers | Inactive Members | Publications | Legislation | Find IMRF |
| Employment at IMRF | Board of Trustees| Field Services | About IMRF | Press Room |
| Privacy Policy and Legal Disclaimer | Search IMRF Online |


IMRF Online provides a brief summary of IMRF benefits and the adminstration of those benefits. IMRF members' and employers' rights and obligations are governed by Article 7 of the Illinois Pension Code. Statements in these publications are general, and the Illinois state law governing IMRF is complex and specific. If a conflict arises between information in these publications and the law, all decisions are based on the law.

Copyright © Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund

Page Last Updated by JC on 06.30.2011