Planning for emergencies and unexpected situations may seem unnecessary, especially for a West Virginia adult who is young and healthy. You may not see the need to have certain types of protections in place, but you will be immensely thankful that you took the time to think about these things if you ever find yourself hurt or sick. Certain estate planning documents, particularly a power of attorney, can allow you to make certain decisions for yourself.
You may be the victim of a serious accident, or you may be too sick to speak for yourself and express your wishes regarding care and medical treatment. This is why having a power of attorney is important, no matter your age or health status. This allows you to appoint a trusted individual to act on your behalf, such as making choices that you cannot make and taking care of your finances.
What does it mean?
A power of attorney is something that is only necessary when a person cannot make choices or speak for himself or herself. You may never need this document, but you will have peace of mind knowing that you’ve taken every step possible to maintain control of what happens in your medical care and to your body. Some things that a power of attorney can do include:
- Decide on what type of medical treatment you may want
- Decide to withhold certain types of care and treatment plans
- Make choices regarding medications
- Choose the doctors you will see and where you will go for treatment
- Ability to go to court on your behalf regarding certain medical decisions
- Have access to your medical records and visitation rights
If you have a living will, the person with power of attorney will only make choices regarding things not expressly mentioned in your living will. Together, these two types of estate planning documents can allow you to preserve your interests and keep your loved ones from having to make difficult choices on your behalf.
Your estate planning needs
Every person is different, and every estate plan will be different. You can craft a plan that will allow you to have a say over what happens to your stuff and even your own body in the future. You are never too young to make these types of plans. If you are unsure of your estate planning needs or you have specific concerns to address, you may find it helpful to discuss these things with an attorney.