There are certain topics that Maryland residents don’t find to be particularly enjoyable. Understandably, thinking about and planning for incapacity isn’t on top of the list for friendly conversations. No one wants to think about what would happen to them if they can’t make decisions on their own, etc. but planning for this in advance is important.
Most people understand the importance of estate planning. They know they are going to die some day and planning for what to do with their assets when this occurs is important. But another part of estate planning is incapacity planning. There are unfortunately many circumstances that can arise where people are unable to make decisions about their health care or financial affairs. It can be a temporary illness or injury or a long-term permanent condition such as Alzheimer’s.
There are many estate planning tools that a person can set up to protect themselves if they become incapacitated. These include a power of attorney who is designated to take care of a person’s financial matters. A healthcare power of attorney should also be designated to make important healthcare decisions.
Planning ahead for incapacitation may not seem like an uplifting task, but if a plan isn’t in place, it can make matters worse. When a person has executed powers of attorney and a living will, the unexpected can be a bit easier to handle for family members. An attorney who focuses on estate planning can review their client’s current estate plan and make sure it contains everything they need both now and into the future.
