Estate Planning and Health Care Directives
It is in the best interests of both you and the people you love for you to have an estate plan. While it may seem like a laborious process, estate planning does not have to be complex or costly, especially with the assistance of the experienced attorneys of Froerer & Miles. We can provide you with the skilled guidance you need to create an estate plan that protects your assets and secures the future of your loved ones.
One of the most important parts of any estate plan is the health care directive. In essence, a health care directive dictates what sort of health care you will - or will not - receive at the end of your life if you are unable to make that decision on your own behalf. In terms of dealing with estate planning and health care directives, our Ogden, UT attorneys are able to draft comprehensive, fully customized documents that reflect our clients’ exact wishes, giving them the peace of mind they deserve. We would welcome the opportunity to do the same for you.
There is no time like the present to start planning your estate. We encourage you to find out how we can help you with your estate planning needs today.
What Is a Health Care Directive?
A health care directive is a document in which you specify your wishes for the health care you wish to receive and wish not to receive when you are unable to express your wishes for yourself. You can indicate, for example, whether you wish to be kept alive by any means necessary, or whether you wish not to be placed on life support. This directive comes into effect at the moment you are unable to oversee the execution of these wishes on your own; therefore, they would normally come into effect at the end of your life.
As part of your health care directive, you may also name a person to make sure that your wishes regarding your future health care are executed properly. The person you name as your healthcare surrogate should be someone you trust to make such decisions on your behalf - someone you would therefore trust to enforce the wishes you express in the directive. You should also name a secondary surrogate in case your primary surrogate is unable to perform his or her duties when called upon to do so.
When you combine a health care directive and the power of attorney to a healthcare surrogate, the document becomes known as an advance directive for health care. Our attorneys can help you draft either a health care directive or an advance directive for health care depending on your individual needs and goals. Either document can be altered at your discretion at any time.
Learn More about Estate Planning and Health Care Directives
To learn more about estate planning and health care directives, please contact the attorneys of Froerer & Miles today. We would be pleased to answer any questions you might have.