Commonly used estate planning tools are Wills, Trusts, Medical Power of Attorney, and Durable
General Power of Attorney. Don’t wait until it is too late to get these documents completed. Let The
Law Office of James Tittle give you peace of mind by making sure your wishes are detailed and in writing.
Legally Binding Estate Planning
The Law Office of James Tittle can put all of your wishes in writing and make sure they are legally binding. People commonly postpone planning for their passing because everyone thinks they have more time. Wills are inexpensive, can be completed quickly, and will give you valuable peace of mind.
What happens if you pass away without a valid will/trust?
If you pass away without a Will/Trust in place, the Texas laws of intestate succession will determine how your property is distributed. The laws of intestate succession provide a back-up method of distributing your property if you pass away without a Will/Trust. These laws will control who gets your property and what share they receive. It is both scary and expensive to let your property pass through the laws of intestacy. This process can add several hundred dollars or more in unnecessary expenses. Avoid this result by having The Law Office of James Tittle draft a Will or a Trust for you. Our office is located in League City, just south of Friendswood.
Durable General Power of Attorney
This form of a Power of Attorney (‘POA’) grants an agent (also called an attorney-in-fact) the authority to act on behalf of the principal (the person granting this authority) under certain, specified circumstances. Durable General Power of Attorney can be used to allow your agent (i.e. the person you authorize) to perform actions such as buy or sell property, file your taxes, or perform any act you specify. This type of POA works hand-in-hand with a Medical POA to potentially avoid the need for a guardianship in the future.
As people age they may develop medical conditions that prevent them from handling their own financial affairs. If such a medical conditions takes place prior to completing a POA the only option at that point might be a Guardianship. While our office is fully capable of assisting you with a Guardianship, the Courts prefer not to appoint guardians if there are other alternatives. These alternatives to a Guardianship are typically POA documents.
Medical Power of Attorney
A medical power of attorney allows you to designate a person, called your agent, to make healthcare decisions for you if and/or when you become incapacitated. Before the named person is allowed to make healthcare decisions for you two medical doctors must agree that you are incapacitated. In the medical power of attorney you are also able to limit your agents authority and also specify treatments you do or do not want to receive.
Both Medical POA and General POA documents are very straight forward to complete. You are also free to revoke, amend, and/or update these documents at any time. The number of issues these two Power of Attorney documents can help you and your loved ones avoid are countless. Contact us today to get this process started.