Your powers of attorney are among the most important pieces of your estate plan. These documents let you name an agent you trust to carry out business or make medical choices on your behalf during times when you are unable to make decisions for yourself.
Your powers of attorney don’t only give you the peace of mind of knowing everything is in place in case you are sick or injured. They also ease the burden on your family in times of crisis. Our power of attorney lawyers in Woodstock can help you draft documents that meet your needs.
Our team at Nelson Elder Care Law has served Georgia families and helped them through complex legal situations for more than a decade. Call today to set up your free Legacy Planning Meeting and learn more about how our elder care lawyers in Georgia can help.
What Is a Financial Power of Attorney?
A financial power of attorney is a legal document that allows you to name a trusted agent who can make choices for you when you can’t do so yourself. Usually, this is due to incapacity because of an illness or injury, and it may be temporary or permanent.
Our Woodstock power of attorney lawyers create durable power of attorney documents, meaning they remain in effect even when you are no longer able to legally make choices for yourself. These offer the greatest legal protection.
You may state the duties you wish your agent to handle. Those holding financial power of attorney typically deal with tasks like paying bills, managing bank accounts and investments, and hiring services.
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What Is a Medical Power of Attorney in Georgia?What many states refer to as a medical power of attorney is called the Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care. This contains your health care power of attorney as well as a living will section that dictates your wishes for life-sustaining care.
Like the financial power of attorney, you will name an agent to make your healthcare decisions for you when you can’t make them yourself. They must always act in your best interests, and always within the parameters outlined in your document.
These agents usually handle things like authorizing medical treatments or admissions into facilities, and managing your protected health information. They are key players in interacting with medical providers and advocate for your best interests.
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What Happens if You Don’t Have a Power of Attorney?
If you don’t have powers of attorney in place and you become sick or injured to the point where you can’t make competent legal decisions, you may not draft a power of attorney document at that time. Your family or another interested party may petition the probate court for guardianship or conservatorship.
- Guardianship appoints someone to make your healthcare and general living decisions for you.
- Conservatorship names someone to make your financial decisions.
The process of obtaining these court-ordered decisions is long, complex, and expensive. But, without them, your family may be left out when decisions must be made on your behalf. This is why powers of attorney are so important in your estate plan.
Do You Need a Lawyer to Create a Power of Attorney?
You do not need a lawyer to create a power of attorney, and some people use forms they find online. However, they are sometimes surprised to find out their document does not cover what they expected it would, and it may be too late to make a change. Our team can:
- Review your situation and help you make the best decisions for you.
- Draft powers of attorney that are legally sound and do what you expect them to.
- Make sure nothing is missed or forgotten when building your plan.
- Examine existing powers of attorney and update them where needed.
- Review your overall estate plan and offer advice.
Our powers of attorney lawyers working with clients in Woodstock can give you the peace of mind of knowing your plan is put together correctly. When life throws you a curveball, you’ll be ready, and we will be by your side.
How Our Woodstock Power of Attorney Lawyers Can Help
Given the short time it takes to speak with an attorney and draft powers of attorney, and the potential catastrophes that having them can avert, it is surprising so many people put it off. Unfortunately, too often disasters strike, and families are left scrambling for answers.
It is easily avoided by creating a sound estate plan that includes powers of attorney documents outlining your wishes for who makes decisions on your behalf when you are unable. Our power of attorney lawyers in Woodstock can help put together a plan tailored to your needs.
Nelson Elder Care Law has served hundreds of Georgia families over the years, helping them to plan for the future and protect the people they care about. Call today to schedule your free Legacy Planning Meeting, where we can discuss your goals and challenges.