Have you ever thought about what might happen if you become incapacitated? Who will make medical decisions for you? Who will pay your bills and deal with the insurance companies? Even if your incapacity is for a short period of time, someone will need to have the authority to take care of you.
If this situation arises without prior planning by you, your loved ones will be required to go to the court and obtain guardianship and/or conservatorship of you in order to make decisions on your behalf and handle your financial affairs. This can be a costly and time-consuming process, during what is likely an already difficult time for your family.
As an alternative, you can put into place a Durable Power of Attorney and a Medical Power of Attorney prior to your incapacitation. This allows you to appoint the individuals you would like to have make decisions for you and handle your financial affairs, which can be a great source of relief during a difficult time for your family.
As many deal with the effects of COVID-19 and other illnesses, short or long term incapacitation is an unfortunate reality that should be considered. To establish who will make decisions for you, contact the attorneys at Murphy, Taylor, Siemens & Elliott P.C. today by calling us at 816-364-6677.