Next up in our series of important estate documents you should have at any age is help from a medical power of attorney. As a healthy and young individual, you may not think it’s necessary to have a document explaining your right to die but we are about to explain why it is essential in the list of estate planning documents you should have at any age.
What is your end of life wishes?
With advances in medical science, not only people are living longer, but they are also kept alive long after a catastrophic accident or illness. Unfortunately, keeping someone alive does not equate to having a good quality of life. A Medical Power of Attorney is a crucial tool in directing someone whom you trust and knows your end-of-life wishes to direct your care if you ever become incapacitated such that you cannot make health care decisions for yourself.
If you’re saying to yourself “I don’t need to worry about that right now; I’m young and healthy,” then remember that the two most publicized and heavily litigated right-to-die cases in the last several decades involved a 25-year-old woman (Nancy Cruzan), and a 26-year-old woman (Terri Schiavo), both otherwise healthy before their demise. In the case of Terri Schiavo, she was kept in a persistent vegetative state for 15 years while her family fought in courts to decide her fate before she was finally allowed to die in 2005! Would you want years of litigation between your loved ones over your fate if you were ever incapacitated and unable to make healthcare decisions for yourself?
At Latifi Law, PLLC, our attorneys will explain the advantages and limits of a Medical Power of Attorney and help draft a document that will put your mind and your loved ones’ minds at ease. Stay tuned next week for the third and final estate planning document you should have at any age!
Does estate planning sound too daunting? Let us help you! Contact us at [email protected].