REVISE YOUR ESTATE PLAN TO COVER HEALTH CARE DIRECTIONS
by Peggy Vyborny, CPA
What is a person to do if he or she is terminally ill, or
permanently unconscious and unable to communicate? Who will make
medical decisions on his or her behalf? This is why it is important
to put one's wishes in writing before a situation like
this arises. Generally, that means executing two documents: 1) a
living will and 2) a health care power of attorney. This blog
explains the differences between the two documents and describes
what they can accomplish.
When Jay's motorcycle accident left him unconscious and on
life support, his family had to make the difficult decision of
keeping the life-sustaining machines on or turning them off and
allowing Jay to die. Jay's wife thought he would prefer the
latter, while Jay's parents wanted to hold out and see if he
would wake up.
