Your estate planning attorney will know what you need and when.
When you meet with an estate planning attorney, the circumstances vary because you may meet when you are bringing up children or you may meet when you are living in an empty nest, according to the Houston Chronicle in “Learn about legal documents and Medicaid“.
It should be noted that everyone needs an estate plan at any time of life so they may state their wishes for how assets are distributed and name a person who will speak on their behalf, in the event of incapacity because of an illness or injury.
An estate plan also includes a power of attorney, so someone you choose can serve as your agent to transact business and handle your financial matters. There should also be a declaration of guardian, in the event of later incapacity and a HIPAA medical authorization document. In some instances, a designation of remains is prepared in order to name an individual who will be the appointed agent to care for your body at the time of death.
However, there’s another reason why you’ll need to meet with an attorney at this time. As we get older, the need to address long term care becomes more important. Making the right decisions now could have a big impact on the quality of your retirement and your later in life medical care.
If you have not updated your will or your powers of attorney, specifically a durable power of attorney for property, it would be wise to do so now. You will need a document to clearly authorize your agent to deal with assets. Any documents that are out of date, or in which named agents have predeceased you, won’t be effective, leading to problems for you and your heirs.
The document may also need to include a broad gifting power for your named agent so assets can be transferred out of the estate. If this detail is overlooked, the agent may not be able to protect your assets.
This is the time when you may want to take steps to protect your children upon your death or upon the death of the second parent. If your goal is to eliminate assets to be eligible for Medicaid coverage, this planning needs to be done well in advance. In numerous states, there are state administered programs that pursue recovery of assets when a person has received Medicaid benefits.
An estate planning attorney can advise you on creating an estate plan that fits your particular circumstances.
Reference: The Houston Chronicle (April 19, 2019) “Learn about legal documents and Medicaid“
