Documents that Help You Plan for the Unexpected

Tragic accidents happen every day that make individuals unable to make decisions for themselves. A person may be involved in a devastating car accident and go into a coma, be afflicted by a sudden stroke, or otherwise become incapacitated by a serious illness or injury. If this happens to you, who will take over and manage your life while you are recovering? Who will decide on your behalf whether you should undergo a risky surgery to try to save your life?

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care

Without specifying who will make these difficult decisions for you, you run the risk of having someone court-appointed to make tough decisions who does not know your wishes or beliefs. By planning ahead and drafting some key documents now, you can avoid much emotional strife later on should something happen to you.

First, consider who you would want to make health care decisions for you if you become unable to make them yourself. Who do you trust to act in your best interests and follow your beliefs? This person can be appointed through a durable power of attorney for health care, also known as an advance directive.

Living Will

A related and equally important document concerning your health care is a living will. In this document you specify what kind of health care you would like to receive and what procedures you want to refuse. For example, some individuals do not want to be kept alive in a vegetative state with a feeding tube, or may put a limit on the amount of time that they wish to be kept alive while in a coma. All of your beliefs and wishes concerning health care can be recorded in your living will to ensure that health care professionals take the appropriate actions.

Durable Power of Attorney for Finances

Lastly, consider how a debilitating injury or illness would limit your ability to run other aspects of your life. You may suddenly become unable to make your own financial decisions, leaving you vulnerable to being taken advantage of by potentially greedy family members and others. To protect your finances, you can create a durable power of attorney for finances to specify who you wish to control your finances if you become unable to do so yourself. This document gives you the opportunity to appoint someone who will protect your money and who you trust to act on your behalf.

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Preparing for all possible scenarios can help to ensure that your life and your finances are protected no matter what the future may bring. Knowing that you have taken measures to care for your future self in case of a serious injury or illness can give you peace of mind so that you can focus on other aspects of life.

For sound legal advice and assistance with preparing a living will and other documents to safeguard your future, please contact an experienced Austin estate planning lawyer at Slater Kennon & Jameson, LLP today at 512-338-1100.