WHAT IS A STATUTORY POWER OF ATTORNEY?

If your power of attorney meets the requirements in the California Probate Code, it is a Statutory Form Power of Attorney.   If your Power of Attorney is Statutory Power of Attorney, then institutions such as banks MUST honor it and cannot require you to use their forms.  Although they often will try to make you use their forms, if you do not know your rights.  Unfortunately, if the form you use does not meet all of the requirements, the institution can refuse to honor the document.  Since you would probably already be incapacitated at that point, you could not sign another, enforceable one.