You wouldn’t believe how many people don’t have these documents and the mess it creates for everyone involved. Having these few documents prepared benefits you and your loved ones.
1. Medical Power of Attorney - A Medical POA gives someone you choose (i.e. your spouse, child, etc.) the power to make medical and health care decisions on your behalf when you are rendered unable. Because life is unpredictable, every adult should have a professionally-completed Medical POA, but we particularly recommend that anyone over 30 has one. If an emergency occurs and you don’t have a Medical POA, you are required to have a Guardian appointed by the Court, which takes time and can delay your treatment.
2. Healthcare Directive (Living Will) – A Living Will allows you to decide now what medical attention/procedures you want later. This means you declare now whether you want blood transfusions, life support, etc. so that healthcare providers can more easily follow “what you would have wanted” later. As with a Medical POA, life’s unpredictable nature makes a Living Will a document we all should have.
3. Will – A Will – a document most of us are familiar with – is the final word for what happens to your real property, personal property, money, and other things after your death. While every one of us should have an updated will, we specifically recommend redrafting your will immediately following divorce. In PA, once you divorce your spouse, all provisions in your Will granting property to your ex-spouse are revoked, which means you may have a lot of property that is not covered.
At Ross & Ross, we are dedicated to helping our clients live better, more fulfilling lives. Call us anytime you need help. We are a full service firm, which means we handle almost everything. If we don’t handle it, we know who does and can direct you to them. Among other things, we routinely practice personal injury, bankruptcy* and debt matters, wills, powers of attorney, and family law.
* Federal law requires the following disclosure: We are a debt relief agency helping people file for relief through bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code.
**This is lawyer advertising.
*** The content of this site is for informational purposes only and not intended to be legal advice. No attorney-client relationship exists until one of our attorneys meets with you and agrees to accept you as a client.
