Sharon Ravenscroft Estate Planning Blog

Ever been ill? Who has legal rights to mske sure your doctors or health care providers take good care of you? Hsve a healthcare power of attorney and thete will be certainty that the right person has the tights to help you.

The courts have made guardianships and conservatorships more complicated and expensive with new rules which were intended to limit court costs and attorneys fees. Avoid having the court in your business or health care, by having your own health care powers of attorney and financial durable powers of attorney. When I prepare powers of attorney, I co...

Powers of attorney for finances or health need to be effective immediately, and not just effective once you have been declared incapacitated. If you are ill in the hospital or laid up at home, you really likely will need assistance right then, to deal with billing departments, banking and health care providers. There is no need to wait until a doct...

Making sure your name is correct on your powers of attorney is very important. If you have used different names over the years, maybe because of marriage or nicknames, then your financial records and health care records might have different names. In order for the person named as your agent to help you, your name on your powers of attorney have to ...

Your estate plan needs to include a will, powers of attorney, maybe even a trust, and it also needs to be done in conjunction with making sure your 401Ks and IRAs have properly designated beneficiaries. If you die without listing a designated beneficiary, then the funds are paid out in a lump to your estate and can be taxed at 35%. So if you are go...

If you do not have powers of attorney for finances and health care, then you are relying on a Superior Court Judge to make decisions for you. Recently, the court process has been in the news about the abuses that occur by meddling family and professionals who do not know the person who needs help. Make sure the right people take care of you by havi...

A health care power of attorney authorizes the person of your choice to help you with your medical care. You can also make sure that person can help you with your mental health care. If you are older, you might be concerned with temporary dementia or capacity issues. No matter your age, your health care power of attorney needs to cover having the r...

Yes, your financial powers of attorney should be effective upon signing and if you become incapacitated. You want to have your named financial agent to be able to help you without a doctor having to declare you incapacitated. Once someone is declared incapacitated they lose the legal right to change their documents or handle their affairs. It may b...

When we are sick and needing information from our health care provider, sometimes it can be a real challenge to get our call in and get a response back that is helpful. It is that much more difficult if you are SO sick that you can barely call on the phone. This is the reason that a Health Care Power of Attorney is vital. You can give the legal aut...

If you are ill or in an accident, who is going to make sure the doctors give you the care you need? Even if you are awake and able, being confined to a hospital bed can make it very difficult to check up on when your doctor is going to examine you, when your tests are going to be run and if your medications are being given correctly.You can give fu...