Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney

What if an accident or illness left you unable to tell your doctors what kind of medical treatment you want, or made it impossible to write checks to pay your monthly bills? This is where a medical and financial power of attorney can help.

A power of attorney is a legal document that gives someone you choose the power to act in your place. In the case you ever become mentally incapacitated, you’ll need what are known as “durable” powers of attorney for medical care and finances. A durable power of attorney means the document stays in effect if you become incapacitated and unable to handle matters on your own. With a power of attorney, the person you name is legally permitted to take care of important matters for you, for example, paying your bills, managing your investments, or directing your medical care, if you are unable to do so.

Medical Power of Attorney

A medical power of attorney (or health care directive) sets out your wishes for health care if you are ever too ill or injured to speak for yourself. When you make a “durable power of attorney for health care”, you name a trusted person to oversee your medical care and make health care decisions for you in the event you are incapacitated. Your health care agent will work with doctors and other health care practitioners to make sure you get the kind of medical care you requested. Your agent is legally bound to follow your treatment requests. It is a good idea to provide your primary health care physician with a copy of your living will so that they can follow your wishes in the event of surgery or a medical emergency.

A financial power of attorney gives someone you trust the authority to handle financial transactions on your behalf.  A power of attorney lets someone else manage your financial affairs for you if you are unable to do so yourself. With a durable power of attorney for finances, you can give a trusted person (your “agent”) as much authority over your finances as you like. Your agent can handle basic tasks such as sorting your mail and depositing your checks, to more complex jobs like watching over your investments, and filing your tax returns.

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