Make Sure Your Advance Health Care Directive Is Clear

In California, you can create something called an "Advance Health Care Directive."  It outlines your health care wishes and nominates an agent who shall act on your behalf.  While that is all well and good, it is important to outline your wishes carefully and completely.

Recently, two siblings came to my office, fighting about their father's health care. Son wanted Dad to be placed in a facility. Daughter wanted Dad to stay home. Trouble is Dad had an entry-level Advance Health Care Directive that is silent on the issue of home care. Just another example of "having" a document that doesn't "mean" much because it doesn't "say" much.

Make sure your Advance Health Care Directly actually says what you want it to say.  An experienced Estate Planning attorney can guide you through the process of creating a solid document.  There are many things to consider beyond "pulling the plug."

Robert Mansour is a Santa Clarita Estate Planning Attorney who can help you with your Advance Health Care Directive.  Make sure your directive also complies with the HIPAA Laws, thereby allowing your named agents to have access to your medical records.