Powers of Attorney & Health Care Proxies
Planning for Unexpected Circumstances
Estate planning is not only about distributing assets after death—it is also about ensuring that trusted individuals can make decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so.
Powers of attorney and health care proxies allow you to designate individuals who can manage financial or medical matters in the event of illness, incapacity, or emergency.
Power of Attorney
A power of attorney allows you to appoint a trusted person to handle financial and legal matters on your behalf. This may include:
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Managing bank accounts and financial transactions
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Paying bills and managing expenses
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Handling real estate or business matters
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Signing legal documents when necessary
Without a power of attorney, family members may need to seek court approval to manage these matters if you become incapacitated.
Health Care Proxy
A health care proxy allows you to designate someone to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to communicate your wishes.
This person can work with medical professionals to ensure that decisions about your care reflect your preferences and values. Having a health care proxy in place helps ensure that important medical decisions can be made quickly and appropriately when needed.
An Important Part of Every Estate Plan
Powers of attorney and health care proxies are essential components of a complete estate plan. We work with clients to ensure that these documents clearly identify trusted decision-makers and provide the authority needed to act when necessary.