Helping your elderly loved one obtain their Healthcare Power of Attorney, General Durable Power of Attorney and Living Will is a priceless gift for both you and your loved one. Start by having the conversation about whether your loved one has this documentation in place. If not, you can help by researching a good law firm to assist in drafting up the documents and assist in making the appointment to get things started. Remember, if these documents are not in place and your elderly loved one loses capacity, someone will likely be forced to obtain guardianship over the estate and/or the person of that loved one.

Elder law attorneys serving Nashua NHWills and Trusts

The second half to the perfect gift for your elderly loved one is assisting them in obtaining a Will or a Pour-Over Will with a Revocable Trust. These documents are largely in place to ensure a person’s assets get distributed to their intended beneficiaries as that person wanted. If your loved one does not have any legal documents directing how they wish their worldly possessions to be distributed to their loved ones then the State has created an intestacy statute to make the decision for them. RSA 561:1 is the statute which directs how someone’s assets are distributed when they die without an estate plan, which can be read here. Getting these documents in place is also a gift for you as well as your loved one as it will help to simplify the process of administering your loved one’s estate and Trust when they are gone.

What do I do if my loved one does not have estate planning documents?

If your loved one does not have their Powers of Attorney or a Will or a Trust, then now is the time to tackle the issue. Ask your loved one if they would like help in setting something up and connect them to our estate planning attorneys who will take the time to get to know them and their particular situation in order to give the best advice as to what is needed.

We serve the Greater Nashua area and are here to help. To meet with one of our experienced attorneys, please call us today at (603) 943-5647.