It is important to think about future medical decisions when you are making your estate plan. You don’t know what the future holds, but there is a chance you could be incapacitated. This could happen if you suffer serious injuries in a car accident, for example, or if you’re in the hospital after a heart attack or a stroke. Who makes your medical decisions when you can’t do so?
Two ways to address this are by using a living will or a power of attorney. The one that is best for you will depend on the specifics of your situation, but it’s important to know how they work.
A living will
With a living will, you have the opportunity to make decisions and choices in advance. For instance, say that you know you do not want to be kept alive on life support. You could use your living will to make your wishes clear. If the medical team tells your family that there is no way to keep you alive other than putting you on life support, they already know what you want. This takes some of the stress off of your family members and ensures that your medical team is aware of your wishes.
A power of attorney
With a power of attorney, you don’t make any specific decisions. After all, you don’t know what your medical condition will look like or what options doctors will have. But the power of attorney lets you choose an agent. Once you are incapacitated and can’t make your own decisions, the agent gains the legal authority to do so. This can streamline the process and make things go smoothly.
Both options have their pros and cons, but you can see how important it is to address medical decisions in your estate plan.