Fort Worth Lawyer for Ancillary Documents

Tarrant County Estate Plan Attorney for Powers of Attorney, Medical Directives, and Other Legal Documents

There are certain types of documents that are a foundational part of every estate plan. Everyone should have a valid will in place that details their wishes for how matters should be handled after their death. In some cases, trusts may also be created to ensure that certain assets will be managed correctly and distributed to a person's beneficiaries. However, there are a variety of other documents that may also be created to ensure that a person's estate plan can be carried out correctly. With the help of a lawyer, a person and family can determine what types of documents will be appropriate in their situation, and they can take steps to ensure that the available estate planning tools are used correctly.

The attorneys of Gonzalez Law, PLLC work to ensure that our clients have a complete understanding of the documents they will need to prepare when creating an estate plan. We provide advice and guidance on the tools that can be used to ensure that a person's wishes will be followed, and we meticulously prepare different types of legal documents according to our clients' needs. Whether you are looking to address issues related to your property, finances, medical care, or other related matters, we will do everything possible to make sure you are prepared for what the future may bring.

Ancillary Documents That May Be Used in an Estate Plan

Depending on your wishes and needs, we can help you prepare multiple types of legal agreements and other documents, including:

• Powers of attorney - These agreements may be used to designate a person who can make decisions on someone's behalf in certain situations. In many cases, powers of attorney will address decisions related to a person's assets and finances, and an agent may be given the authority to buy and sell property, pay expenses, manage a business, make deposits or withdrawals from accounts, or apply for benefits. A medical power of attorney may give an agent the authority to make decisions about a person's care and treatment. If a power of attorney is "durable," it will remain in effect if the principal becomes incapacitated.
• Advance medical directives - To ensure that their wishes regarding their medical care will be followed, multiple types of documents can be created that address different situations. A living will, which is known in Texas as a Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates, will apply in situations where a person has a terminal condition and cannot make decisions for themselves, and it will detail the types of life-sustaining treatment they do or do not want to receive. A Declaration for Mental Health Treatment may allow a person to detail their decisions regarding psychoactive medication, convulsive therapy, and emergency mental health treatment in situations where they cannot make their wishes known. A do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order may state that a person does not want to be revived if they stop breathing or their heart stops beating.
• HIPAA release - Since medical records are kept private, a person who is given the authority to address medical care for someone else may not have all of the information they would need to make the correct decisions. This type of release will allow someone to have access to a person's medical records when needed.
• Appointment to Control Disposition of Remains - To ensure that their wishes regarding their burial, cremation, or other issues related to their remains will be followed, a person may use this document to appoint a person who can make decisions about these matters.
• Appointment of guardian - Elderly adults or others who need assistance may appoint someone to serve as their legal guardian, allowing this person to make decisions on their behalf and ensure that their needs are being met. Parents may also wish to appoint a guardian for their minor children in certain situations, including when they expect that they will be unable to provide care for a child due to an illness or disability.

Contact Our Saginaw Estate Planning Attorney

Our firm can help you determine what documents you will need to include in your estate plan, and we will make sure all of these documents are created and executed correctly. To set up a free consultation and get legal help with these matters, contact our office today by calling 817-349-7330. We serve clients in Plano, Tarrant County, Saginaw, Haltom City, Fort Worth, Dallas, White Settlement, Forest Hill, Richland Hills, and Arlington.