La Mirada Incapacity Planning
Powers of Attorney & Healthcare Directives
Plan ahead for financial decisions and medical care with documents that reflect your wishes.
Planning for decisions during your lifetime
Estate planning includes preparing for times when you may need someone else to act on your behalf. A power of attorney and an advance health care directive address different needs: managing financial matters and communicating your wishes about medical care. Gene Gleason works with individuals and families in La Mirada to consider these documents as part of an estate plan.
Financial powers of attorney
A financial power of attorney lets you authorize another person, called your agent, to handle specified financial or property matters. Depending on the document, these responsibilities may include paying bills, managing accounts, or communicating with financial institutions.
A durable power of attorney is designed to remain effective if you become incapacitated. The document should clearly describe the authority you grant and when that authority begins. Choosing the right scope and timing is an important part of planning.
Advance health care directives
In California, an advance health care directive can name an agent to make health care decisions and record your preferences for treatment. It gives you an opportunity to discuss the care you would want and identify someone who can communicate with your medical providers when needed.
Your instructions can reflect your values and priorities. Discussing them with your chosen agent and health care providers helps the people involved understand your wishes. Financial and health care authority are separate, even when you choose the same person for both roles.
Choosing an agent and a backup
Consider someone you trust who is willing and able to carry out the responsibilities. Reliability, availability, and the ability to communicate with family members and professionals can all matter. Naming an alternate agent can help if your first choice is unable to serve.
Coordinating your estate planning documents
Powers of attorney and health care directives should work alongside your living trust, will, and other planning documents. A trustee’s authority over trust assets does not automatically cover every financial or medical decision. Reviewing the documents together can help clarify each person’s role.
Existing documents may also need review after a move, a change in family circumstances, a new health concern, or a change in your preferred agent. Keeping signed copies accessible and sharing them with the appropriate people can help make your plan usable when it is needed.
Preparing for a consultation
Bring any existing powers of attorney, health care directives, wills, or trust documents. Think about whom you would choose as your agents and alternates, the financial tasks they may need to handle, and any care preferences you want to discuss. Gene can review your circumstances and explain the available planning choices.
Discuss your planning needs
Contact Gleason Law Offices in La Mirada to discuss powers of attorney and advance health care directives as part of your estate plan.
Keep reading about powers of attorney and health care directives
- What should a California advance health care directive cover?
- Successor trustee vs. power of attorney: who handles what?
- Gene answers: Why should a senior citizen consider a living trust?
- Estate planning with Gene
- Schedule a consultation with Gene in La Mirada
The information contained herein is general information about the law only. The law is subject to change. If you have a specific legal question and want your question(s) answered, consult with an attorney.