Attorney in North Texas Helping Clients Create Powers of Attorney Documents
For many people, estate planning addresses what they want to happen after their death. By creating a will or trust, a person can set down their wishes and instructions for how their property will be distributed to their heirs. However, a comprehensive estate plan may also address issues that affect a person throughout their lifetime, including how their medical care and finances will be handled. Powers of attorney are among the best ways to ensure that a person’s wishes will be followed, and they can be especially helpful for elderly people or those who may need assistance meeting their ongoing needs.
If you are looking to establish powers of attorney to make sure a loved one will be able to make decisions for you, or if you want to help someone else set up powers of attorney that will give you authority to make decisions on their behalf, Andrew Dunlap Attorneys, PLLC can provide the legal help you need. Mr. Dunlap will explain your rights and options, and he will help you create power of attorney documents that will fit your situation. He can also assist with other issues related to estate planning, ensuring that you and your family are prepared for whatever may happen in the future.
Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney
When a person creates a power of attorney agreement, they will name another person who will serve as their agent. The agent will be given the authority to make decisions on behalf of the person who made the agreement (known as the “principal”). The agreement can detail the specific types of decisions the agent will be allowed to make, while also providing instructions for how certain matters will be handled, ensuring that the principal’s wishes will be followed correctly.
In most cases, powers of attorney will be “durable,” meaning that the agent will continue to have authority to make decisions on behalf of the principal after the principal becomes incapacitated and cannot express their wishes or make decisions on their own. Powers of attorney will usually remain in effect until the principal dies, they revoke the agreement, or conditions specified in the agreement have been met. Powers of attorney will also be revoked if a legal guardian is appointed for the principal.
A principal may create two separate types of powers of attorney. A financial power of attorney will give an agent the authority to make decisions about the principal’s money and property. This may include making payments on the principal’s behalf, applying for government benefits, buying or selling property, managing a business owned by the principal, or making investments using the principal’s money or assets. A medical power of attorney will allow an agent to make decisions about the principal’s health care and personal needs. This may include deciding the types of treatment they will receive, whether they will be admitted to a hospital or nursing home, and other forms of care that may be needed to ensure their health, safety, and comfort.
Contact Our Irving Estate Planning Lawyer for Powers of Attorney
Andrew Dunlap Attorneys, PLLC can provide invaluable legal help during the estate planning process. In addition to helping you create powers of attorney that will meet your needs, we can assist with the creation of other advance medical directives that will ensure that your wishes will be followed as you get closer to the end of your life. He will advise you of your rights when creating these types of documents and address any concerns you may have about how to make sure you receive the care, treatment, and assistance you need. Contact our office at 972-807-6357 and arrange a confidential consultation today.