Does Durable Power of Attorney stay in effect after death ?
My wife and I are/were DPOA for a lady who just passed away. We asked her attorney if we should pay her final expenses from her checking account as we have been doing for almost 2 years. He said to carry on as usual and to pay her bills as if she were still living. We did so and I notified the bank that she had passed on so they would need to send her retirement back when it was direct deposited. Then today we get a notice in the mail from her & our bank (one & the same)that her account is frozen & they are going to return the check we wrote to Wal-Mart to buy $22.00 worth of items to bury her with. Incedentally, we are her sole heirs. She only has $200 in the bank. It was our understanding that the Durable Power of Attorney carries on even after death. Her attorney told us to write the checks that we did & now the bank tells us we had no right to do so. I hope I have given enough information.

Thanks in advance.