CHERRY HILL LIVING WILLS LAWYERS

To be truly effective, an estate plan should be comprehensive. Contrary to some myths, estate planning is about a lot more than deciding who gets what after you pass away. As important as it is to exert control over your property and assets, it is just as important to ensure that you are empowered to make your own health/medical decisions. There are two main ways to handle health care decision-making through your estate plan:

• A Living Will: As noted previously, a living will is a legally binding estate planning document that allows a person to express their health care wishes ahead of time—so that those wishes are respected by medical professionals even if the individual is not in a position to express them. Most often, living wills are useful for issues related to end-of-life care. Though, they can be used in other scenarios as well. Some key medical issues that can be addressed within a living will include the use of breathing tubes, feeding tubes, ventilators, blood transfusions, kidney dialysis, the use of certain medications, end-of-life care, medical support, and organ donation.
• Health Care Power of Attorney (POA): If you have specific wishes regarding your medical care—particularly your end-of-life care—you should have a living will in place. Beyond that, you can also benefit from setting up a health care power of attorney (POA). The reality of life is that it is extremely difficult to anticipate all of your medical needs ahead of time. By granting a trusted family member or trusted loved one health care power of attorney, you will empower them to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are not in a position to express your wishes.