Advance directives are important documents to help during an individual’s life. These documents provide for you to appoint an agent in order to help with all matters (ie. Medical and financial) in the event of illness and/or incapacity. One of those documents is the Durable Power of attorney- this document helps provide the peace of mind that in the event that you are unable to make decisions for yourself the trusted agent you have nominated will be able to help with things such as paying your bills by having access to your bank account, applying for government benefits in the event you require them, and so many more items that you as the individual give permission for them to act. Another document that is just as important is a Health Care Surrogate document- this document allows the nominated agent to make medical decisions for you in the event that you are unable to make them for yourself. In the event that an individual does not have these documents in place they run the risk of their families having to go through guardianship proceedings in order to be able to make decisions necessary for the care and maintenance of the individual. If you are interested in learning more about advance directives, their benefits and risks, please do not hesitate to contact Yanitza Schoonover at The Schoonover Law Firm, P.A.
