Hi, my name is Kirsten Krueger and two years ago, I was in a car accident. I was stopped at a stop sign when the driver behind me slammed into my car. Due to my injuries, I had to spend a few days in the hospital and I was unable to work for two months. My medical care was expensive and without being able to work, I couldn't pay my bills. The car accident was stressful enough and then I had to worry about how I would pay my bills. After speaking with a car accident lawyer, it wasn't long before I was compensated for my medical bills and lost wages from work. I'm writing this blog to help others who have been a car accident and haven't received any compensation. As you read my posts, you'll learn how an attorney can help you if you're in a vehicle accident.
One thing that many people put off doing when they're young is estate planning. Unfortunately, you can't predict the future, and you never know when you are going to need the legal documents to help make decisions when you're unable to do so. Here are some essential things you'll need to decide on when planning your estate.
Decide On Who Will Have Power Of Attorney
If there ever is a point where you are incapacitated or unable to make decisions for yourself, you'll need to assign someone to make those decisions for you. This is what is known as giving someone power of attorney. Assigning someone this power will be helpful if you are ever hospitalized and cannot make an important financial decision, or are diagnosed with Alzheimer's later in life and are incapable of making a sound decision.
You want the person with power of attorney to be somebody that you trust. Many people decide to list their spouse as the person with power of attorney but also list children or their siblings as well. It is important that the person you select is okay with making decisions for you, so it is best to ask someone for approval before you officially give them power.
Decide On What Will Happen If You Are In The Hospital
There may come a time where you are hospitalized and unable to make medical decisions about yourself. This is where a living will come into play since it states your wishes about what you want to have happened to you in this life or death situation. For example, you may have a wish to not use any procedures or treatments designed to prolong your life if you are not in a state where you can enjoy it. It can be tough to leave these decisions to loved ones, which is why a living will help prevent them from being forced to make a decision for you.
Decide On What Will Happen To Your Personal Property After You Pass
A large part of estate planning will be making the decision on how to split up your assets. You may have a desire for certain things to go to certain people, or just want to make the formal declaration that it all goes to a specific person. Even in a simple situation like that, it helps to have everything in writing so that there can be no confusion about your wishes.
For more information, websites like http://valentineandvalentine.com can help.
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