Addison Powers of Attorney Lawyers

Serving Clients with Powers of Attorney Needs in DuPage County and Throughout Illinois

When making a comprehensive estate plan, it is as important to plan for incapacity as it is to consider what will happen after your death. Incapacitation is the legal inability to make decisions such as those for healthcare and finances. Making plans for how your health care decisions and finances will be handled if you are ever incapacitated is an essential part of the estate planning process. At Knauf Law , we are skilled in guiding clients through these emotionally challenging decisions and determining the various types of powers of attorney. Our experienced lawyers will help you appoint a durable power of attorney, non-durable power of attorney, special or limited power of attorney, medical power of attorney, or springing power of attorney. We will help you achieve the peace of mind that you will be properly cared for no matter what the future may bring.

Powers of Attorney for Health Care Decisions

No matter how old you are, the possibility of incapacitation from an accident or as the result of an illness is always present. If you are ever incapacitated, having someone you can trust in charge of making your health care decisions is very important. With a durable Power of Attorney, you can give a trusted loved one the power to make medical decisions when you are unable to make them. Such decision-making powers may include:

• Consenting to medical treatments;
• Choosing medical facilities for your treatment;
• Choosing your doctors and medical personnel;
• Determining who has visitation rights;
• Making organ donation decisions;
• Handling after-death decisions, such as consenting to an autopsy; and
• Deciding who has access to your medical records.

Powers of Attorney for Financial and Legal Needs

Before you become incapacitated, it is necessary to execute a Power of Attorney for Property. Once a person becomes incapacitated it is too late and it will be necessary to establish a guardianship through the court. In the Powers of Attorney (POA) you will designate a trusted person to make legal and financial decisions on your behalf. Such a person would be able to pay your bills, access your bank accounts and credit cards, handle investments, and maintain your estate in other ways. In some case you may want to give your agent the ability to make gifts, to have the ability to make withdrawals from your Individual Retirement Accounts, and to have the ability to access your Digital Assets. Without a Power of Attorney set up ahead of time, a family member would have to go to court after your incapacitation to obtain such powers. Planning ahead allows you to control who has power over your financial assets.

To learn more about how Powers of Attorney can enhance your estate plan, contact us at 630-875-0500 to schedule a consultation. Our attorneys will answer your legal questions and work with you to create Powers of Attorney that fit your wishes and are legally enforceable. From our office in Addison, IL, we work with clients throughout the Chicago area, including DuPage, Kane and Cook Counties.