Basic Estate Planning Documents
Power of Attorney
Creating a power of attorney allows you to choose someone you trust – usually a family member or friend – to make decisions about your finances in the event you are incapacitated. Your agent will be able to stand in your shoes and take whatever financially related steps may be necessary to protect you and your assets.
It is important to choose wisely and to make sure the person you select as your agent is willing to accept the responsibility, since he or she could be held civilly or criminally responsible for violating his or her fiduciary duty.
Health Care Proxy
Decisions regarding your health can be very personal. But what if you are incapacitated and decisions need to be made about medical treatment options or even about what procedures to forego? Executing a health care proxy as part of your estate plan can provide you and your family with peace of mind, as you will be placing someone you trust in charge of making these important decisions when you are unable to do so.
Living Will
A living will goes hand-in-hand with your health care proxy. It is a signed document that expresses your wishes at an end-of-life stage. Not only will having this document in place inform your health care professionals of what you would like done if faced with end-of-life choices, but it will allow your health care agent to make these difficult decisions, knowing exactly what you would have wanted.
At Angiuli & Gentile, LLP, we have been trusted by Staten Island families for more than 30 years to handle crucial estate planning issues. We combine extensive legal knowledge with a commitment to personal service that truly sets us apart.
We’ll Take It From Here
A power of attorney, health care proxy and living will are simple documents which can help you rest easy, knowing that all of your affairs are in order. To learn more about how we can help you with these documents and all your estate planning needs, contact us today for a consultation.
