Category Archives: Advanced Directives
Benefits Of Designating A Health Care Surrogate
Creating an estate plan is an important step to secure your future and ensure that your wishes are respected. Certain estate planning documents, such as a will, can ensure that your property is distributed in the manner you wish and that your child has a guardian that becomes effective upon your death. However, there… Read More »
What Happens If You Do Not Have A Power Of Attorney?
Your Last Will and Testament is the foundation of any estate plan, but there are many other documents you should consider drafting so your best interests are protected. While some of these are not effective until you pass away, others come into effect during your lifetime. In Florida, a durable power of attorney will… Read More »
Why Appoint A Durable Power Of Attorney?
Appointing someone else as ‘power of attorney’ (POA) is very useful. When you appoint someone as your POA, they have the authority to act on your behalf. The POA is often referred to as the ‘agent’ and they will be empowered to take very specific actions. For example, if you appoint someone as your… Read More »
Four Important Elements To Your Durable Power Of Attorney
A durable power of attorney (DPOA) will give someone you trust the authority to manage your legal and financial affairs as you get older. If you are ever deemed incapacitated and cannot make decisions on your own, a DPOA allows the named individual to make legal and financial decisions for you. Unfortunately, a DPOA… Read More »
Can Your Health Care Surrogate Demand Your Doctors Provide Treatment Against Their Own Medical Judgment?
In 1990, the Florida Supreme Court issued a decision, In re Guardianship of Browning, which established the constitutional right of privacy extended to a person’s decision to “refuse medical treatment regardless of his or medical condition.” The Browning court specifically held that the guardian of an adult patient who was legally incompetent and suffered… Read More »
How to Create an Advance Directives in Florida
Do you have an advance directive in place? According to a Reuters report of nearly 800,000 Americans, over 37% of Americans have no advance directives for their end-of-life care if they become incapacitated or seriously ill. There are many reasons why having an advance directive in place should you become incapacitated. Advance directives are… Read More »