Empowering You – Not The Courts – To Control Your Life Decisions
In the event that you should become incapacitated, you do not want to worry about strangers appointed by the courts making health care or financial decisions on your behalf.
The attentive attorneys at Mahaffey & Associates, assist clients in Lucas County with power of attorney decisions. They can draft the documents you will need before you need them as part of an overall estate plan to ensure that you are the one making critical life decisions in the event of incapacitation.
What Is A Power Of Attorney?
A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that authorizes someone to act on your behalf and make legal, business, personal or health care decisions. The person who gives the authority to another to act on their behalf is the principal or grantor. The person authorized to act is the agent or, in some jurisdictions, the attorney-in-fact.
Ohio’s Uniform Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA) changed the law governing POAs to protect elders from financial abuse and to provide a remedy if it should occur. This update in the law also provides, in plain language, the duties and responsibilities of an agent.
If a person becomes incapacitated and has not arranged for a POA, the court may appoint a guardian. To avoid this situation, it makes sense to draw up a POA in advance.
What Are The Types Of Powers Of Attorney?
Powers of attorney can be used in several circumstances such as:
- POAs can be limited to a specific act — a real estate transaction or selling a car, for example, or for a predetermined period of time
- Powers of attorney can grant more general or broad powers, but these become ineffective if the grantor becomes incapacitated
Health care or medical power of attorney grants authority to another individual to make decisions regarding your health care in the event that you become unable to make decisions for yourself.
Is A Living Will The Same As A POA?
No. A POA gives someone else the decision-making power, whereas a living will is a document in which you specify how you want your end-of-life care addressed. If you become unable to make or communicate your medical decisions, a living will helps your loved ones know whether or not you want to be kept alive on machines if you should become terminally ill.
You don’t have to try to navigate the potentially challenging world of planning for end-of-life care alone. The experienced lawyers at Mahaffey & Associates, know how to put your mind at ease while we handle the drafting and filing of critical power of attorney documents for you.
Contact A Knowledgeable Toledo Estate Planning Attorney Today
At Mahaffey & Associates, we understand that planning for unfavorable circumstances can be emotionally challenging for our clients. That’s why we strive to give our clients attentive, individualized service for their estate planning needs. Call us today at 419-741-0111 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. We serve Toledo and the entire northwest Ohio area.