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Safeguarding You And Your Family’s Best Interests
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Many people are unaware of the potential consequences of not setting up a guardianship or power of attorney for financial, health, and family matters. Being prepared with the legal instruments to protect you and your loved ones could be invaluable. Here are ways Bauer & Shekerlian Law helps clients plan for the future of their families after they are incapacitated.
Maintain Continuity With A Power Of Attorney
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A financial power of attorney (POA) gives you the chance to appoint an individual to manage your financial affairs if you become physically or mentally incapacitated due to an accident or medical condition. This has become a very common issue in society today with the increase in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and people are still living for decades while completely mentally incompetent. Your personalized POA specifies what responsibilities your designated agent can carry out on your behalf in legal and financial situations. These may include paying your bills and taxes, as well as accessing and managing your assets.
Without a valid power of attorney, the family would have to get the court to issue a conservatorship at great financial expense and after several months’ worth of time. There are multiple types of powers of attorney and we can help determine which one is right for you.
Manage Medical Decisions With An Advance Health Care Directive
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The advance health care directive (AHCD) is a form of power of attorney that designates an individual to manage your medical decisions in the event that you are unable to do so for yourself. When preparing an advance health care directive, you are able to choose specific responsibilities to grant to your agent. You are also able to choose alternate agents in case the primary agent is unavailable. An AHCD is also commonly used to make your wishes concerning end of life care, whether you want to donate organs, whether you are open to assisted suicide, and what you want done with your remains.
Nomination Of Guardians
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The nomination of a guardian allows you to indicate who would care for your children in the event that you and your child’s other parent are unable to care for your children. Without a pre-appointed guardian, you will not have a say in who will care for your child. As a result, a court battle may ensue that can last for years and will expose private and sensitive information about the ones you love to determine who gets custody. This means that your children could likely end up in foster care until the judge rules on who is the most appropriate guardian.
Contact Us For Guidance On Power Of Attorney Forms
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Take advantage of the opportunity to plan for the inevitable changes in your life as you grow older. Contact Bauer & Shekerlian Law by email or call us at (949) 233-2894 for a free consultation.