You have heard the term “estate plan” or “estate planning” and most likely associate it with a having a will, but do you know what other documents make up a complete estate plan? Our estate plan package covers all of the bases and consists of the following documents:
Last Will and Testament: A legal document that provides instructions for how to distribute assets after death. A will may also state the guardian for minor children and/or appoint an executor to administer the estate in accordance with your wishes.
Durable Power of Attorney: A legal document that allows you to appoint a representative to serve as an agent to manage your finances or other official business, whether temporarily (such as, you are out of the country on a trip) or permanently (such as, you become incapacitated).
Guardianship: A legal document that appoints someone to care for you in the event you become unconscious or mentally incapable of caring for yourself.
Medical Power of Attorney: A legal document that allows you to appoint someone to make medical decisions for you in the event you become unconscious or mentally incapable of making those decisions on your own.
HIPAA Authorization: A legal document that allows you to specify who may have access to your medical information, including information from your health provider and insurance company.
Medical Directive: A legal document (also known as the living will), which directs physicians to administer, withhold or with draw life-sustaining treatments in the event of a terminal or irreversible condition.
Having these documents accounts for so many of life’s contingencies and brings tremendous peace of mind that in any situation, your wishes have been specified and can be carried out accordingly.
