Advanced directives or power of attorney documents are the collection of legal documents that allow you to name an agent or a succession of agents to make decisions for you if you become unable to make your decisions for yourself. Advanced directives generally include a healthcare power of attorney, which names a person to make medical decisions for you in the event that you were unable to make those decisions for yourself and includes any specific instructions that you may have when you feel strongly about what happens to your body in a medical center.
A general durable or financial power of attorney is a document that names, the person who can make legal and financial decisions on your behalf in the event that you become incapacitated. A living will is a document in Ohio that essentially states that you do not wish to be put on life support, or if you are already on life support, that you should be removed from it.
A living will trumps your healthcare agents instructors to your healthcare provider. You should always sit down and speak with an experienced estate planning attorney before signing any kind of advanced directive. When you put an agent in place that is going to act on your behalf, while you are unable to make decisions for yourself, you want to ensure that you understand everything that they can do in your name and on your behalf before you signed such a document.
Here at Parks and Meade, we will be happy to sit down and go over these documents with you and make sure that you have set your instructions down clearly and have enabled your family and loved ones to care for you the way you would want to care for them. You can learn more about living wills and power of attorney on our website here: https://parksandmeade.com/best-estate…
