Incapacity Planning In Leesburg

Plan Ahead For A Brighter Future

No one likes to think about the potential for health problem and disabilities later on in life. Unfortunately, debilitating conditions and severe health issues are a reality that must be faced. The better you plan for the future, the better off your family will be in the event that you are affected by a disability.

Disability planning doesn’t have to be painful. When you work with Legacy Law Centers, we make every effort to ensure that the process is simple, quick, and stress-free so that you can focus on enjoying the present. Our Leesburg estate planning attorney has extensive experience helping Loudoun County residents find peace in planning ahead.

Reach out to us online or call (571) 260-0827 to get started on your estate plan.

The Components Of Disability Planning

As unpleasant as it may be to think about, a comprehensive estate plan will include incapacity or disability planning to some degree.

This may involve:

• Healthcare powers of attorney
• General powers of attorney
• Business powers of attorney
• Trust planning

Disability planning can protect your assets, finances, family members, and healthcare decisions and give you control of you and your family’s future.

Healthcare Decisions

If you become disabled, your healthcare will become one of your family’s highest priorities. It is important to protect your own health and your family’s well-being by carefully creating a plan for your health needs in the event of a serious medical issue.

Healthcare powers of attorney, advance medical directives, and HIPAA authorizations can all lay the groundwork for your care. Making these decisions and outlining your wishes today will ensure that you have control of your future.

Health Care Agents

A health care proxy, or agent, is a person appointed to make healthcare decisions if you are unable to due to incapacity. These decisions include choosing or dismissing doctors, consenting to surgery, and deciding when to continue or end life support.

Certain states have specific policies specific to life-prolonging treatments. For example, in Virginia, health care agents can request that you undergo no life-prolonging treatments, even if you are found to be pregnant. For this reason, it is important to consult with an attorney who is familiar with both state and federal laws in regard to the legal abilities of health care agents.

Financial Decisions

If you find yourself incapacitated and therefore unable to pay bills and manage your day-to-day affairs, the state can freeze your assets and make decisions on your behalf – unless you have planned properly ahead of time. Create powers of attorney for your finances to safeguard your loved ones from having to pay court fees in order to be granted authority to act on your behalf.

Child Care Decisions

If you become disabled while your children are still minors, the state may be able to appoint guardianships and conservatorships on your behalf if you have not made your wishes clear in your estate plan. Ensure that your children are safe and cared for in the event that you cannot properly care for them.