Read this article if you are interested in learning:
- Some clear benefits an estate planning attorney brings you, as opposed to an online tool or service.
- What the three primary healthcare documents that need to be in your estate planning portfolio are.
- How estate planning can be for you and not only the elderly, as so many often think.
Do I Need To Hire An Estate Planning Attorney Based In White Plains, New York? Can I Manage My Estate Planning On My Own With An Online Service?
I highly recommend you partner with an estate planning attorney to handle your estate planning case.
Technically, it is not necessary to partner with an attorney in White Plains. You can partner with any attorney licensed to practice in New York.
However, I am a fantastic option if you are in the White Plains area. I have been involved in the White Plains community for over 30 years and know many residents and their needs. As well, I know the local regulations. Additionally, White Plains is the county seat, which is where the courthouse is located. This makes it very easy to research a unique case that may not have information available online yet or file documents that you would otherwise have to mail to the courthouse.
Can you do your own estate planning online? You can, but the tools and services online are general and may actually work to complicate your estate planning case further. Other drawbacks will likely have far-reaching consequences or inconveniences if you use an online tool or service. Documents prepared by these outlets often fail to cover the many possible circumstances that may come up that may seem peripheral to your estate planning case now.
What Healthcare Documents Will I Need To Include In My Estate Plan In New York?
A healthcare proxy is the most important healthcare document you will need to include in your estate planning portfolio.
A healthcare proxy designates a person of your choice to make healthcare decisions for you if you cannot make those decisions yourself. For example, you have been in an accident and are brought to the emergency room, unconscious from a stroke. Emergency room doctors and hospital physicians take an oath to do everything possible to save your life, but that may not be what you want in this situation. If you cannot speak for yourself, you are left helpless to have what you want to be done carried out.
Other than a healthcare proxy, a living will may make your estate planning case considerably smoother. This document formally states what you wish your proxy to pursue on your behalf. However, it is worth noting that there are mixed feelings about living wills.
For instance, what is in writing goes to the doctor and is what they are bound to honor. If your desires have changed since then, what is written would take precedence over your more recent and accurate wishes. If you do not sign a living will but your proxy knows your wishes, they can pursue them for you.
What many people fail to realize is that this is not only applicable to the elderly. For example, if you are a parent with a child away at college who gets into an accident, the hospital is not bound to call you. Some hospitals will honor the wish of your legally adult child, but legally the hospital is not supposed to discuss your adult child’s medical condition with you. It is better to take care of relatively simple matters now so that this is not an issue at all if you find yourself in this type of situation.
Medical authorizations are critical for your estate planning case as well. With HIPAA being what it is, most people cannot share medical information about a patient without their authorization under estate planning law in New York. If you are unable to verbally give that authorization, they can have you sign said authorization, naming your healthcare proxy to speak to the doctors and insurance companies about getting bills paid, as well as to make choices about their medications and daily treatment. Otherwise, a doctor could not discuss this with you.
A power of attorney will go far to make things significantly smoother for you. This names a person to handle your financial affairs. If you are in the hospital and cannot do things like go to the bank, meet with my tax preparer to do your taxes, or call my insurance company and get my medical bills paid, your power of attorney has all those powers at their disposal and can represent you in those situations.
With the guidance of a skilled attorney for Estate Planning Cases, you can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that we’ll make it look easy.
For more information on Estate Planning Law in New York, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (914) 350-3842 today.
