Incapacity Planning as Part of Your Estate Plan

Nearly everyone has heard about the importance of estate planning, which puts you in the driver's seat when it comes to having your wishes and instructions followed after your passing. As part of your estate plan, incapacity planning is vital. It may be unpleasant to contemplate that, at some point in the future, you may become incapacitated through illness, injury, or advancing age to the point where you are unable to make decisions about your health or medical options.

Most people think that when such a situation occurs their family members will be able to step in to make decisions on their behalf. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. In order to do so, your family members will likely be required to submit a petition to the courts concerning your incompetency. Such a petition can be the start of a lengthy and costly procedure. With an incapacity plan already in place, the time and expense of the court procedure is avoided. You incapacity plan will set forth your precise wishes and instructions concerning your finances, health care or end-of-life requests. Your family members will not be required to determine what you would have wanted. Your incapacity plan goes into effect as a legal document and can include such tools as a living will, durable power of attorney for health care, and durable financial power of attorney.

Estate Planning Attorney in Fredericksburg, Virginia

To put your estate plan, including an incapacity plan, into place, you will need the services of a reputable attorney. When it comes to taking care of your future, your estate, and your eventual heirs and beneficiaries, you will want an attorney who is competent, experienced, and who can meet your needs, however complex they may be.

If you are located in Fredericksburg or the surrounding communities in Spotsylvania County, you can turn to Dennis E. Ahearn, Esq. Mr. Ahearn has nearly four decades of experience in estate planning and probate. He has earned and held the highest peer rating of AV Preeminent from Martindale-Hubbell, the national lawyers review organization, since 1998. This is a significant achievement which ranks him at the top of his profession for legal ability and ethical standards. That is the kind of recommendation you want when considering an attorney to assist you with your legal problems and objectives. To learn more about how Mr. Ahearn can help you, contact his law offices for a free, initial consultation.