In addition to planning for your estate and for your long-term care, it is essential that you have in place the necessary advanced directives to ensure that your wishes are carried out should you become incapacitated. If you have not executed the proper documents and you are deemed legally incapacitated, you will lose control of who makes important medical and day-to-day living decisions on your behalf. We can help you draft these essential documents. NOTE: Typically we include these documents for no additional charge when we are drafting estate plans for clients.
- Power of attorney: We can create a financial power of attorney and a medical power of attorney to enable someone you trust to control your financial and healthcare needs if you are incapable of making decisions for yourself.
- Living will: We can create a document that will specifically instruct your family and physicians regarding use (or not) of life support, intravenous feeding, and other life sustaining methods.
- Declaration of last wishes: We can create a declaration that will instruct your family how to proceed regarding your funeral plans, etc.
- HIPAA release: HIPAA is a federal law that requires you to provide written consent allowing your physicians to discuss your healthcare with family members or anyone else you choose. We can create this document for you.