When updating your estate plan, it is crucial to remember that it is not just the will and trust that need to be kept current. Your ancillary estate documents, including your advanced directive and power of attorney, are equally important to the overall success of your plan. Updating these documents is often a bit different from working with your trust. Instead of amending a document that already been written, it often makes the most sense to simply execute a new one.
Considerations for Updating an Advanced Directive and Power of Attorney
Now that you are ready to update your advanced directive and power of attorney, there are certain things you should consider including the following:
- The individuals you want to appoint to serve as your health care agent, and at least one backup.
- The individual you want to serve as your agent under the power of attorney.
- Your specific wishes relating to your health care including those involving life support, the use of medication, or pain relief.
- If your old advanced directive is on file, for example, at your doctor’s office in Irvine or a nearby hospital, you will want to ensure that you give them the more up-to-date version after it is signed.
- If your power of attorney is on file with banks or other financial institutions, it is important to ensure that they receive most current version.
Updating your power of attorney and advanced directive is crucial to the success of your estate plan. We hope that you found the information in this article helpful. We encourage you to let us know—contact us today!