Powers of Attorney and Living Wills
- Financial Powers of Attorney
- Medical Powers of Attorney
- Living Wills
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The importance of having a Power of Attorney cannot be overstated. These documents allow you to designate one or more persons to act on your behalf in the event you become incapacitated and are no longer able to make decisions on your own. The person(s) of your choosing will be able to continue to handle and manage your financial affairs and make medical decisions on your behalf. Without these documents in place beforehand, your loved ones may end up having to open costly court proceedings to be designated as your curator before they can act on your behalf.
A Living Will, sometimes also called an Advanced Healthcare Directive, allows you to clearly set out what actions you would like taken in the event that you become incapacitated. Most often these documents are used to withhold the use of certain artificial means of prolonging life, such as respirators. Not only does the patient provide the doctor with clear direction as to their medical desires, but this document also provides the patient’s family members with the peace of mind that life ending decisions have already been made by their loved one, thereby relieving them of the burden of making the difficult decision on their own.