No one likes to think about death. Especially their own. But we cannot escape death no matter how much we do not prefer to think about it. Death comes to all of us. Like it or not, a little planning now will ensure that your wishes are carried out and will save your family considerable stress later.
Planning to Die With Dignity.
Few people would disagree that what is important is the quality of our lives, not how long we live. No one wants to live in a state of complete unresponsiveness or in a coma with absolutely no hope of recovery.
That is why it is so important to have the necessary documents in place now that reflect how you want your life to end, to the extent you can control it, of course. A Lifetime Estate Plan anticipates your end-of-life needs. It includes the preparation and execution of Healthcare Documents which spell out your wishes regarding what medical care you do not want (e.g., “no feeding tubes”) and what medical care you do want (“please resuscitate” ).
A Lifetime Estate Plan also contains the Powers of Attorney you need to make sure your bills get paid and all of your finances are in order.
Relieve Stress for Family Members.
When we get clients who come in with their healthcare agents (the person(s) they are appointing to handle their healthcare issues), the agents are extremely thankful to hear that they are making a Legacy Estate Plan.
As we start explaining the importance of doing so and the details of each individual document, the agents almost feel more relief than that client themselves. They often times sigh, stating, “Oh good, I don’t have to make that decision!” They are extremely thankful that the client is making decisions on how they want to be taken care of and preparing documents that outline their desires so that the agents have more clarity and direction on how to make decisions on their behalf should they ever become incapacitated. There are many issues that can arise with an agent making such decisions.
Often times the agent is a close family member. If they make a decision that other family members disagree with, then it is certain that a family drama will ensue. “Why did you do that? She would not have wanted that? You could have waited to tell the doctors X or Y.” This is why having desires in writing can make an instrumental difference in how your family handles an incapacity and/or your death.
The other circumstances in which this breeds great comfort is when there are young kids. Often times we will have clients ask for a document called my 5 wishes because it is even more specific than a living will as far as specifying your exact healthcare desires. This is highly recommended when there are younger kids in the mix (even if they are 18) who may act as your agent because then you are not leaving a huge burden on them that they may be too young to handle.
Although we may not like to think about death and dying, when we prepare for our own death in advance, we relieve stress-filled decision-making from our family members and we create the opportunity for ourselves to have a peace-filled end of life.
We Can Help You Prepare.
As experienced trusts and estates attorneys we can help you. We offer free consultations, and we serve all of Arizona. Our offices are located in beautiful Sedona and we serve Verde Valley as well. We can help you provide and plan for your loved ones. Call us at 928-282-1483 or contact us here.
