Protections to Have in Place Amidst the Current Health Crisis
We hope you are all staying safe in these challenging times. We want to assure you that we are open, working remotely, and can help.
We believe estate planning involves more than choosing who inherits under your will or trust. With a proactive and comprehensive plan, you are able to take advantage of protections you may not have otherwise thought or knew about. During the ongoing health care crisis, you should have the following documents to help you and your loved ones.
Essential Documents to Have
Powers of Attorney
Both healthcare and financial powers of attorney designate agents who will act for you if you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself.
It is critical these are in place *before* a medical emergency. If something were to happen without an agent being named, then some institutions may require guardianship, conservatorship, or court order before another person can step in and act on your behalf. In order to open a guardianship or conservatorship you have to go through your local probate court, many of which are only accepting emergency cases right now.
HIPAA Authorizations
These authorizations enable your loved ones to obtain information from medical professionals and are necessary if they have to make a medical decision for you.
If you would like to create or update your powers of attorney and HIPAA authorizations, please do not hesitate to contact us, (248) 409-0256. We are currently hosting phone and video conferences so you may remain at home and stay safe.
Other Documents and Services to Consider
Advanced Directives
Advanced directives, also called living wills, are used to help individuals document their health care wishes under various scenarios. They outline what type of treatment you would like, and when. We understand it may be daunting to think about some of the situations – for instance, if you were in a vegetative state with minimal chance of recovery – but thinking about these beforehand can give you the opportunity to discuss your wishes with your loved ones and make it more likely they are followed.
Funeral Representative
This is an individual you designate to have the right and power to make decisions about your funeral arrangements. This includes, but is not limited to the decision of whether you are cremated or not.
DocuBank Membership
DocuBank helps make sure your healthcare directives and documents are immediately available to family members and the hospital in an emergency. The service provides a wallet card so you may access your healthcare power of attorney, HIPPAA authorizations, and any advanced directives; it also allows you to upload medication lists and will alert designated emergency contacts if you are in a hospital. With hospitals currently limiting outside contact, DocuBank can help provide critical medical information around the clock simply by handing over your card.
If you would like to learn more about any of these documents or services, or estate planning in general we invite you to contact us, (248) 409-0256. Having these protections in place can help create a plan that provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones. We offer complementary consultations and reviews of existing plans.