Ancillaries

The Ancillary documents to the Estate Plan consist of a Health Care Proxy, a Living Will, and Powers of Attorney. The Health Care Proxy allows you to appoint someone to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you are unable to do so. the Living Will or Health Care Memorandum is an expression of your intent regarding the withholding of treatment in case your recovery is unlikely. Both documents in combination allow the individual you named as Health Care Agent to truly act and have the authority to act in your best interest.

A Power of Attorney is a document establishing an agency relationship. In an agency relationship another person is designated (an Agent or attorney-in-fact) to act on behalf of the person who is executing the document (the Principal). The Agent can act on behalf of the Principal on any matter outlined within the document. Such actions can consist of funding a Trust, managing brokerage accounts, selling property, or any other function explicitly outlined in the document. The Power of Attorney can be durable, which means it is effective immediately, or in the alternative can be springing, which requires some event (such as the incapacity of the Principal) before it can be utilized.