When should I think about my estate plan? As a new attorney, I sometimes even find myself asking this question. When many people think about estate plans, they think of appointing guardians for their kids and what treasured personal items they want their family members to have. While these are significant parts of estate planning for many people, there are lots of other important estate planning questions we should consider throughout our lives.
One question we should all start considering as young adults and continue to reflect on as we age is "Who do I want to help care for me if something happens to my health?" Financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, and HIPAA releases are all documents we should consider having throughout our lives. As much as we don't like to think about bad things happening to us, it's important to consider what will happen if we can't make decisions for ourselves. Together, these documents help ensure we're cared for if we're unable to do so for a period of time.
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