When making an estate plan, it is important to address how future medical questions will be answered or how conflicts will be resolved. You cannot necessarily predict the future, but having a medical plan in place can be helpful.
For example, perhaps you do not want to be resuscitated or kept on life support. You can use a living will, which is an advance directive that you add to your estate plan. This document can list your preferences, including the fact that you do not want to be kept on life support, and provide instructions for your doctor.
Another option is to use a medical power of attorney. How is this different than a living will?
Selecting a medical agent
The main difference is that you do not make the decision in advance, but instead choose the agent who will have the authority to do so when necessary.
After all, you may not be sure if you want to be kept on life support. It depends on your condition, the treatment you are receiving, the diagnosis from the doctors and the prognosis of recovery. You cannot know all of this information in advance, so it can be difficult to determine how to use a living will.
But when you choose an agent with a medical power of attorney, your agent is authorized to act on your behalf. They can talk to your doctors, ask important questions, and consider what would be in your best interests. They are then in charge of making the decision if you are incapacitated and cannot do so yourself.
Drafting your estate plan
Medical decisions are an important part of estate planning. Be sure you know what steps to take as you draft your plan this year.
