Estate Planning For Future Health Care Decisions
Estate planning should involve more than just distributing your financial assets. One crucial area to focus on is making future health care decisions in advance. Doing so empowers you to receive only the types of treatment you want, and it gives your loved ones guidance. Advance directives can spare them the burden of guessing what kind of care they would or would not want in case of incapacity.
The Manna Helmy Law Group attorneys of Ridgewood, New York, have more than 135 years of combined experience with estate planning, and that includes health care directives. We know that every situation is different, and we work diligently to find creative solutions that work for each individual client. We can help you explore the various estate planning tools at your disposal and consider how they may apply to your situation. Such guidance can be invaluable when setting up health care directives.
Two Types Of Advance Care Planning
You have two general types of advance directives you may use in New York, the first of which is a living will. If there is an emergency and you are unable to make health care decisions, your living will inform doctors and family members of your preferences. An example of this could be if you don’t want to be kept on life support or if you do not want to be resuscitated.
The second option is to use a health care power of attorney. Instead of putting your instructions in the document, you use the power of attorney to choose an agent to make your medical decisions. For instance, you could designate your eldest child as your agent. They can then consider the situation, talk to your medical team and make an informed decision about the best treatment options moving forward. You can discuss any preferences that you have with your agent in advance.
Getting Started With Estate Planning
Our vast experience uniquely positions us to be able to help with all areas of estate planning in Ridgewood. A compassionate and knowledgeable lawyer can help you explore all of your options to determine what will be optimal for you and your family. If you’d like to set up a consultation today, just contact us online or call 201-345-3018 at your convenience.