Powers of Attorney
Powers of Attorney
While predicting the future is impossible, you can still plan for it. A devastating accident or unforeseen illness can render you incapable of making your medical care wishes known. A power-of-attorney document gives a trusted individual the ability to make decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated
Although none of us want to think about what would happen if we became incapacitated, it is an important part of estate planning. If you should experience a period of incapacity without a plan in place, a court may determine who would make decisions relating to your assets, medical treatment, social environment and living arrangements through an expensive court-appointed guardian.
With proper estate planning, you may arrange for the appointment of a person, institution, or a combination of the same to make these decisions, and follow your instructions.
Based in Boca Raton, and serving throughout south Florida, our lawyers understand the importance of planning for the future. This requires considering unfortunate and unpredictable life events. We are committed to handling these contingencies with the professionalism and confidentiality you deserve.
How Powers Of Attorney Work
There are two common types of power-of-attorney agreements:
• A durable power of attorney is used to make financial decisions for the principal in the event he or she becomes incapacitated. These documents can be tailored to fit the needs of the individual and should be as comprehensive as possible. If written properly, an agent will have the power to handle any financial decision mentioned in the document.
• A medical power of attorney describes just that — medical issues. These documents can be drafted narrowly or broadly and will be used to grant an agent the ability to make decisions such as refusing medical treatment or requesting complex procedures if the patient is unable to make the decisions on his or her own.
The failure to set such agreements in place can have serious consequences. Namely, parties who do not have your best interests in mind may be able to gain control of your financial and medical well-being. Indeed, besides a living trust, these are perhaps the most important estate planning documents to have in place.
Our understanding of estate planning and elder law allows us to answer any question our clients might have. We foster the feeling of comfort and control by providing our clients with honest and prompt answers to even the most complex questions.
Contact Us To Learn More
To learn more about our services, reach out to our firm today. We offer free 45-minute consultations to new clients, enabling us to assess their situations and provide recommendations before they are obliged to pay.
To schedule an appointment, call us at 561-451-8220 or 800-989-0755 or contact us online.