Candace K. Ladley

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POWERS OF ATTORNEY &

ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES

     There are two kinds of Powers of Attorney, one for health care or medical decisions and the other one is for financial decisions.

    1. Durable Power of Attorney:

     You, as the "Principal", appoint one or more people to act as your "Attorney-in-fact" as to all of your financial decisions. Your "Attorney-in-fact then "stand in your shoes" and can make all of the same financial decisions regarding your assets and liabilities as you can.

     You can choose to have the Power of Attorney take effect immediately or you can specify that it does not take affect until you become incapacitated or incompetent and may require a written declaration of one or more physicians that you are incapacitated or incompetent. In this event, the power of attorney is considered to be "Durable" as it survives your incompetency or incapacity.

      2.  Advance Health Care Directive:

    The Advance Health Care Directive  (Health Care Power of Attorney) allows you to make decisions as to whether you want life support, artificial nutrition and/or hydration. You can also specify the pain medication that you want and whether you want to live your last moments at home. They are very flexible documents and give your family members the guidance they need as to your last wishes.

    It is no longer necessary to have a "Living Will" which specifies that you do not want any heroic measures to prolong your life or that you do not want any artificial means, such as life support systems, used when you are in a coma. Instead, these provisions are  put in your "Advance Health Care Directive" so that this one document spells out all of your last wishes.

The Durable Power of Attorney  allows your appointee to manage your finances, sell or mortgage your house, pay your bills, and invest your money.

Two Offices To Serve You