Planning Ahead for Periods of Incapacity and the End of Life

Powers of attorney and living wills have come to be regarded as essential components of a well-constructed estate plan. The powers of attorney can prevent the need for appointment of a guardian if you become unable to manage your own financial affairs or personal health care. The living will can avoid disagreements within a family as to whether or when to terminate life support under specified extreme medical circumstances, such as irreversible coma or persistent vegetative state.

Sound Advice About Powers of Attorney in Cleveland

At Ziegler Metzger, our attorneys can help you define the terms of powers of attorney or a living will that can meet the demands of an emergency. Serving clients throughout Ohio from our offices in Cleveland and Painesville, we work closely with each client to make sure that these instruments are drafted in clear, practical and enforceable terms and in a way that works in concert with their comprehensive estate plans.

We also advise people as to the details of designated powers, including such considerations as:

• Whether the same person should be designated to hold durable powers of attorney for both financial and health care matters
• Whether a durable power of attorney should be divided between personal finances and business finances
• Whether the scope of a financial or health care power should be limited or conditioned

Our estate planning and probate lawyers also advise clients about their options in cases where misuse of powers of attorney is suspected. If necessary, we can take your case to court to stop someone from abusing a power of attorney, with respect to either an incapacitated person’s finances or personal care.

Discuss End of Life Intentions With Experienced Ohio Living Wills Attorneys

Ziegler Metzger also helps people define the details of a living will, the document that provides direction regarding your medical care and instructs or authorizes medical professionals to terminate life support according to the patient’s explicit intentions under carefully defined conditions.

Also known as an advance directive or a health care proxy, a living will or health care power of attorney can help families avoid the uncertainty and disagreement that can result when different relatives have different ideas about their loved one’s medical preferences.

For additional information about our law firm’s approach to client service on the sensitive matters implicit in living wills and durable powers of attorney, call us at 216-273-6726 or contact us online.