February 11, 2014 – When I speak with people about estate planning they are almost always focused on the Will/Trust aspect of their plan. While these are important components, the other documents typically making up the plan are just as important. A healthcare directive, power of attorney, and health care power of attorney, are crucial to any plan. Those documents allow us to pick who we want to assist us with finances, healthcare decisions, or other needs, if circumstances require. Without these, the next best option likely requires a guardianship process in court with a judge determining who should make those decisions. While a guardianship is a good backup when someone hasn’t completed their planning, the time and expense can exceed the cost of even very complicated estate plans. These documents save time and expense, avoid uncertainty, and let us stay in control. Estate planning isn’t all about death- it’s about living too!
