When most people think of estate planning, they think of things like making sure that the intended person gets the house. There’s another aspect to estate planning that you need to think about. You can provide instructions about your medical care and name someone to make decisions for you about your health care if you’re incapacitated.
Your health care power of attorney will step in to make decisions for you if you can’t do it yourself. They work closely with your medical care team. The person you choose for this duty should be able to make decisions that are in your best interests. They may have to do this during a very emotional time, so you need someone who can remain composed and communicate clearly.
How can you outline your wishes?
You can provide a written statement about what you want and don’t want for your medical care. This can include things like whether you want intravenous nutrition or hydration. You should think about resuscitation. If you don’t want to be resuscitated, you need to fill out a special form. You should file these instructions, known as the advanced directives, with your medical team. You should also share your wishes with the power of attorney and your family members.
Giving someone power of attorney is only one component of a comprehensive estate plan. It is in your best interests to ensure that you have things in order for your loved ones just in case you pass away. Doing this now can give you peace of mind, but you must take the time to set it all up in a legal manner. This can help to reduce the chance that there will be challenges, confusion and disputes over your estate.