Durable Power of Attorney Lawyer in Pensacola, FL
One of the best ways to ensure you and your loved ones are protected is to prepare a Pensacola durable power of attorney for someone to make your financial decisions if you cannot do so yourself. Accidents resulting in incapacitation can happen anytime and when they are least expected.
While setting up a durable power of attorney can be simple, there are some instances in which it will inevitably be complicated. In such cases, the process will be much easier if you have a trusted Florida estate planning attorney at Brightwell Law PLLC to help you along the way. Contact our law office now and schedule an initial consultation to get started.
Why Do I Need a Durable Power of Attorney in Florida?
Should you become incapacitated and unable to make decisions regarding your healthcare and finance, having, a Florida durable power of attorney (POA) can be beneficial. This allows you to designate a person of your choice, to act legally on your behalf, but only within the terms and conditions of the POA, you have established. Using a POA, much like wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents, is another way to ensure your family is protected if the unexpected arises.
At Brightwell Law PLLC, we can help you with the following:
- Prepare a comprehensive estate plan, whether you are writing a living will, setting up a complex living trust, establishing guardianship, or making an advance health care directive.
- Navigate the complex Florida law and ensure that you comply with the provisions.
- Anticipate and prevent problems to ensure your wishes are carried out exactly how you want them to be.
- Assist clients with probate and estate administration and resolve any conflicts to ensure that the client’s interests are protected.
- Understand the roles and responsibilities as well as define the powers granted to the agent before signing a Florida power of attorney.
We have extensive experience handling estate planning, probate, and family law cases in Pensacola, Escambia County, and Santa Rosa County. Call Brightwell Law PLLC now to start the process of creating an estate plan.
What is a Durable Power of Attorney?
A power of attorney (POA) is a useful and powerful estate planning tool that allows you to designate someone else (an agent or attorney) to act on your behalf should you become physically or mentally incapacitated. Generally, you can choose any adult you trust to be your agent, such as your spouse, an adult child, an attorney, a parent, or another family member. The power of attorney defines what the agent can and cannot do. Be sure to choose somebody you trust who can faithfully carry out their responsibilities on your behalf.
In incapacitation, you’ll need a “durable” power of attorney for medical care and finances. A durable power of attorney (DPOA) simply means that the estate planning document stays in effect even after your incapacity. This type of POA only expires upon the death of the individual. A qualified Pensacola durable power of attorney lawyer can help explain the benefits of establishing this legal document.
What Are the Types of Durable Power of Attorney?
There are several forms of power of attorney, and each type grants the agent or successor agent specific powers and limitations. Each type of power of attorney also has a different validity depending on its use.
A power of attorney can often be limited in scope to making either a medical or a financial decision on the individual’s behalf. Depending on your family’s needs, a power of attorney can be very broad, or it can be very narrow. As such, it is important to seek legal advice from a knowledgeable Pensacola estate planning lawyer who can choose the appropriate type of power of attorney that is right for you.
Financial Durable Power of Attorney
A financial durable POA lets you appoint someone to manage your finances and property for you even when you become incapacitated or are deemed unable to make decisions for yourself. This type of POA can help ensure that your livelihood, savings, and investments remain safe when you cannot maintain them.
There are many key functions a financial power of attorney can serve, including:
- Paying bills, medical expenses, and taxes on time
- Making bank deposits
- Accessing your financial accounts
- Collecting insurance benefits
- Collecting any retirement benefits (including Social Security benefits)
- Transferring and selling your assets
- Managing your investment accounts, real estate assets, and retirement funds
- Running your small business in your absence
Healthcare Durable Power of Attorney
A health care durable power of attorney is the type of POA that sets out your wishes for medical care if you are ever too ill or injured to speak for yourself. It allows the agent to make health care decisions for you. These decisions could be about treatment options, medication, surgery, end-of-life care, etc. A healthcare power of attorney is meant to have your best interests at heart when making your medical decisions, and many people choose close family or friends for this role.
Through a durable medical power of attorney, an agent can:
- Receive updates about your private medical information
- Uphold any advanced directives that you have put forth regarding your medical care
- Speak with doctors to discuss options for healthcare and make a decision
- Refusing treatment or taking measures to prolong the life
Call Our Experienced Pensacola Durable Power of Attorney Now!
We do our best to be prepared, but sometimes unexpected things happen, such as receiving a medical diagnosis or being injured in a car accident. You can safeguard against the problems and uncertainty these situations cause by establishing a durable power of attorney. This document helps eliminate confusion when family members have to make tough medical and financial decisions.
Creating a power of attorney with the help of our seasoned Pensacola durable power of attorney lawyer at Brightwell Law ensures that you have a plan in place for overseeing your financial affairs and health directives if and when you cannot do so.
Our estate planning law firm can help you fulfill your estate planning needs by recommending the documents that will work best for your particular situation. Schedule an initial consultation with our Florida estate planning attorneys to learn how they can help make the arrangements you need to provide the security of your family and loved ones’ future.
