Now Is a Great Time to Choose a Health Care Power of Attorney
In the past few days, I’ve seen horrible advertisements and articles that said you should get your will right now, at this very moment. Because if the coronavirus doesn’t kill you, you definitely won’t live the 150 years you planned! (Seriously, I saw this copy with my own eyes.)
And listen, you have to have a will. But worrying and rushing to get it now may not be the easiest thing to do when you’re also trying to figure out how to work from home , manage your kids while school is closed, or check on loved ones and neighbors .
So if you don’t have a ready-made desire yet and are waiting for the worst-case scenario, I don’t blame you. But if you’re looking for steps you can take to provide some extra confidence indefinitely, can I recommend choosing a health care proxy?
A health care trustee is a person who can make decisions about your health care if you cannot do it yourself. This is sometimes referred to as a long term health care proxy or medical surrogate.
This is often associated with a living will , but it is a separate document that can exist on its own.
Your proxy is the proxy for healthcare providers when it comes to discussing treatment and important decisions such as maintaining or ending life support. Your proxy does not have to be associated with you, but it must be someone who can take care of your best interests. They should also be someone who lives close enough to you that they can easily intervene if necessary.
Even if you are not in a high-risk group during the coronavirus outbreak, having one of these documents can create some order if a difficult situation arises in the future. Making some decisions ahead of time about your medical desires and who you trust to fulfill them can ensure that your desires are fulfilled if you are unconscious or unable to speak.
If you have not chosen a health care proxy, your caregiver will depend on the laws of your state, but usually spouses, parents, children, or siblings by default.
“When it comes to coronavirus, the likelihood remains that you and your loved ones won’t need to use a medical proxy,” said Allison Cade, editorial director of Fabric, a family finance app. “But even in the best of times, it’s an easy way to talk to your loved ones about what’s important to you and have a say in your own decisions. This is another task that I would put in the ‘still need to do’ category, so the coronavirus might just be a good excuse to finally get it done. ” (Fabric offers an online tool for making wills.)
The rules for appointing a healthcare proxy differ from state to state. Everplans has a directory of advanced directive forms for each state and instructions to make sure they are valid. You may need one or more witnesses; you may need to notarize your forms. And while you might end up wanting to talk to an attorney about a more comprehensive will and estate plan, simply filling out one of these forms – after talking to a good candidate for your trustee – can provide a little peace of mind. Keep in mind that you you are probably thirsty right now.
Just make sure you provide your new proxy with a copy of these documents for safekeeping.