This isn’t the most pleasant thing to think about, but taking the time to designate a “Health Care Proxy” for your care if you should need it is an important thing to do. A Health Care Proxy, like a Power of Attorney, appoints someone to make decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.

You’ve probably heard the phrase a “Power of Attorney” before, but have you considered what it might mean for you? A Power of Attorney authorizes another person to make financial and business decisions on your behalf if -- and only if -- you become physically or mentally incompetent.

Nobody wants to think about what could happen in the event of a terrible car accident, but some strategic decisions now can reduce stress and improve outcomes later.

“Why should I care which insurance company pays my medical bills after an accident?” If you are injured in an auto accident, your attorney will seek compensation for your “pain and suffering.” When your claim is settled, your “net recovery” depends on how your medical bills were paid.

There are negotiations that take place before your lender will approve a mortgage, and you want to ensure you have someone advocating on your behalf.

“What do I do if I get hurt in a car accident?” The first thing your lawyer needs to know is the amount of the other driver’s bodily injury liability coverage, commonly referred to as BI coverage.

If you and your spouse own your home as “husband and wife, tenants by the entirety,” and all of your other assets are jointly held, then upon the death of one spouse the survivor owns 100%. The first to die has no estate to probate. The problem is, who plans to die first?

Loss is quite difficult on the deceased’s loved ones. In times of grief, the last thing you want is for those you leave behind to fight or be stuck in a long legal battle. A will can resolve a host of issues.