Our lawyers at Kitzke & Canfield LLC know that adjusting to life during a pandemic has many people asking themselves whether they are really prepared for the unexpected. With deaths from coronavirus rising every day, it’s understandable that you might have a strong sense of urgency to get all of your legal and financial affairs in order before it’s too late.
Since the outbreak and the subsequent stay at home order issued by the governor, our legal team has been hard at work drafting estate plans and powers of attorneys for our clients to ensure that they have all of the legal documents necessary to protect their best interests if they are ever in a situation where they are unable to make decisions themselves.
So if the shock of the pandemic has worn off and you’ve realized that you no longer want your estranged sister to be a trustee or that you haven’t added your grandchildren to your list of beneficiaries, then now is the time to take of care of your important estate planning matters.
Important Documents You Need
In addition to drafting your estate plan and creating trusts for your estate plan, you should also have an experienced lawyer draft a financial power of attorney and an advance directive. These two important legal documents will designate an agent to make financial and health care decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated.
There are two types of advance directives you can include in your estate plan. With a living estate plan, you can state the different types of life-sustaining medical treatment you want or don’t want if you are terminally ill and doctors don’t expect you to recover. If you want someone else to make medical decisions for you, then you can include a health care proxy that names an agent you trust to act on your behalf.
Storing Your Estate Planning Documents
When it comes to medical directives, it’s crucial that your agents know where to locate your documents should an emergency arise. Online sites and apps like DocuBank give clients the option to store the following:
- Advance directives
- List of doctors and medications
- HIPAA release forms
- Other important health care information
People who use this service carry a wallet card that includes an identification number that hospitals can use to quickly access documents. The Covid-19 outbreak has left U.S. hospitals overwhelmed with patients. And with the situation expected to only get worse, using an organized system to store your estate planning documents can go a long way in helping overburdened hospital staff know who to consult with if a person is admitted and doctors need to know about their medical history or treatment preferences.
Our Estate Planning Lawyers Are Here to Serve You
If you have more questions about estate planning during this uncertain time, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our seasoned lawyers at Kitzke & Canfield LLC so we can guide you and make sure all of your best interests are represented. From updating your estate plan and trusts to helping you have important discussions with family members to keep them informed about their role in your estate plan, our law firm is equipped to handle all of your estate planning needs, no matter complicated they might be.
To speak to a lawyer at our firm, please give us a call today at (262) 387-0706 to request your consultation.
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