Many fear the mystifying “Power of Attorney” and wait until it is too late to give a loved one the power and authority to act on their behalf when they become incapacitated. In reality, the greater fear should be the situation where no Power or Attorney is in place before a loved one becomes incapacitated and unable to make rational decisions on their own.
As an example, if a husband becomes mentally incapacitated before giving Power of Attorney to his beloved wife, the wife may eventually need to seek guardianship and conservatorship over her husband to preserve his life. Establishing a Guardianship and Conservatorship can be twenty times more expensive than a Power of Attorney!
The Power of Attorney needed to provide for the unwelcome situation of incapacity is the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.
All Power of Attorney documents can be revoked while you are still of sound mind. So don’t let fear keep you from providing for yourself and your loved ones in important areas of your life. A Power of Attorney is not valid after your death.
These are documents you may need to plan your estate and simplify your life: