TALKING ABOUT WANTED CARE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ESTATE PLANNING

When individuals begin thinking about their end-of-life wishes, they often consider how they want their property distributed. While decisions relating to this matter are certainly important, there are other aspects of life that also need consideration. For instance, a person may need someone to make medical decisions for him or her due to incapacitation. Fortunately, estate planning can help.

As part of their estate plans, Florida residents can utilize health care power of attorney documents. This type of document allows a person to appoint a trusted individual to make medical decisions in the event that the person cannot make those decisions on his or her own. Of course, it is important that the person talks about those wishes in detail with the party chosen to act as the health care agent.

When asked to take on this role, an individual may accept due to its importance. However, parties should not blindly take on the position. It is wise for people to talk with their loved ones about what type of care they would like to receive and to gain specific information about desired medical treatment. Without this information, health care agents may have a difficult time knowing what choices to make.

Though estate planning documents themselves can hold a great deal of information, it is still useful to have face-to-face conversations with loved ones about important aspects of their plans. In particular, individuals who are appointed to roles like health care agent or executor of the estate need to understand the responsibilities they face. Having a Florida legal professional available to answer questions and help with planning is also often a wise decision.