Estate Plan Deep Dive: Healthcare Proxy and Living Wills
The Savvy Parent Podcast
Estate Plan Deep Dive: Healthcare Proxy and Living Wills
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As we continue our deep dive series into critical areas of the estate plan, on this episode of podcast, lawyer Shannon McNulty covers the healthcare proxy and a related document, living wills. Choosing a healthcare proxy and helping that person understand your wishes is one of the most considerate things you can do for your loved ones, so we want to make sure you understand the details related to choosing a healthcare proxy and what a living will covers and what it doesn’t. 

You are Granting Authority

A healthcare proxy is a document that authorizes someone to make healthcare decisions for you in the event that you cannot. A living will provides instructions for your doctor about how you’d like them to proceed under certain circumstances. Both of these documents ask you to consider literal life and death circumstances and it’s critical that parents not only have these forms, but take the appropriate time to consider who you choose and the instructions you provide.

How to Choose Your Healthcare Proxy Agent

As with all of these big decisions, you want to choose someone you can trust and who will respect your values and choices. In the event you don’t choose someone, healthcare decisions will fall to your next of kin. Though it is hard to consider the events that would require your healthcare proxy agent to step in, it’s important to make the loving choice and complete your healthcare proxy if you haven’t already. 

Resources mentioned

Learn more about advance care planning at Five Wishes

Learn more about choosing a guardian for your children

Get more information on Power of Attorney

Get more expert advice at The Savvy Parent and join our newsletter

Learn more about McNulty Law

About the Author

Shannon McNulty

Shannon McNulty is the founder of The Savvy Parents Group and founder of The Village Law Firm, which provides legal planning for parents with young children. Shannon received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her LL.M. in Taxation from NYU School of Law. She has also earned her CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) designation. You can learn more about Shannon and her firm at www.thevillagelawfirm.com.