In an empowering new article that’s chock-full of great estate planning advice, PBS reminds aging Americans that only one person gets to decide what happens in the last years of your life, and that’s you… provided that you take action now.
Estate planning is the only way to ensure that your wishes will be carried out as you see fit in your eldest years. The good news is that, while estate planning can be a bit of a challenge and demands professional guidance to avoid common mistakes, it’s entirely achievable for anyone.
“The documents are fairly straightforward,” PBS says, “yet many people postpone taking action to complete them.”
What are those documents, exactly? PBS picked up on a few of the most essential, putting special emphasis on health care.
The Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) dictates who will make your important health care decisions in the future and how they’ll go about making them.
The nice thing is that an AHCD doesn’t kick in unless and until you become incapacitated some day. Accordingly, you remain in control for as long as possible. Here’s the catch, though — you must execute an AHCD before becoming incapacitated. So don’t wait! PBS says everyone over the age of 18 should have one.
Health care isn’t the only concern, however. PBS goes on to highlight a number of other important documents:
- Durable Power of Attorney (for legal and financial decisions)
- Last Will and Testament
- Trusts
- Beneficiary Forms
- Final Arrangements
- Instructions to help your loved ones find your assets and important papers
For Arizonans who’ve read the PBS piece, there’s one word of caution. Arizona doesn’t yet offer the POLST (Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) form that PBS so highly recommends. Efforts are underway to bring POLST to the Grand Canyon State, but until that happens, the Prehospital Medical Care Directive form (more commonly known as a Do Not Resuscitate or DNR) remains a popular option.
The Phoenix estate planning attorneys can help you complete all of these forms, bringing them together as part of a comprehensive, complementary, and incredibly effective estate plan.
We do all the hard work, so your burden ends when you pick up the phone and give us a call. We’ll work with you to ensure that the plans we create meet each of your unique needs, creating a tailored solution that will protect you and your family for many years to come. Contact us today.
