There are many aspects to consider when planning your estate such as living wills, last will and testaments, trusts, beneficiaries, and so on. While all of these moving parts work together to create a successful estate plan, the power of attorney (“POA”) is one of the most significant of them all. This is because without this document, many of your assets may go unprotected in the event that you cannot manage things on your own.

If a POA is not named, and you are in an unstable condition, you will not have access to your assets unless they go through a guardianship proceeding with the courts. These proceedings can be very costly and time consuming, and you do not have the freedom to choose who that guardian may be. Appointing a power of attorney gives you this protection, and also allows you to take advantage of tax reduction.

A Power of attorney is always necessary, even in the case of joint ownership. These laws have changed dramatically within the last ten years, and documentation must be updated and checked on regularly to make sure they are in alignment with the new legislation. Call us at Gulati Law for a free legal checkup to find out the status of your estate plan and what we can do to ensure a smooth process.