Plan While You Still Can

Shepherd Elder Law Group ElderLawKC Do you know what healthcare treatments you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself? Have you considered what would happen if you were no longer able to make decisions for your healthcare or finances?

These are hard questions to think about, but taking time to answer them and make them official is essential. To make your decisions known and give power to those you choose, you need legal documents in place; specifically, a Healthcare Durable Power of Attorney, an Advanced Directive, and a Financial Durable Power of Attorney.

A Healthcare DPOA allows you to document who makes medical decisions about your healthcare. The person designated as your “agent” is authorized to speak ONLY if you can’t speak for yourself. An Advanced Directive is a document that states your wishes for medical treatments at the end of life. These documents are essential for making your healthcare wishes known and avoiding a Guardianship during incapacity. You can prepare these documents with an Estate Planning or Elder Law Attorney, or there are free versions of them available with the Center for Practical Bioethics.

A Financial DPOA is a document that gives authority from one person (the principal) to another person (the agent) for the agent to act on behalf of the principal. These are much more technical and require the assistance of an attorney to ensure they are prepared properly. Creating a Financial DPOA is essential for you to ensure your finances are in the hands of someone you trust.

If this year has taught us anything, it’s to plan while you can. Talk to your attorney to get started. Disclaimer: This is not intended to be legal counsel. The choice of an attorney is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.

Editor’s Note: This article was submitted by Aaron L. Love, JD, an attorney with The Love Law Group, LLC and may be reached at 816-554-3330 or by email at planning@lovelawgroup.com. See ad on page 32.