Free Power of Attorney and Advanced Medical Directive
Free Power of Attorney and Advanced Medical Directive
Many people contact my office asking for help in preparing a will. Equally important are documents such as a Medical Directive or a Power of Attorney. Avoid paying online sites for these forms. Many are available for free from more reliable sources. Additionally, some of them may make matters much worse. These forms are provided by reputable sources for free!
Medical Directive or Living Will
A medical directive is similar to a Living Will or a Medical Power of Attorney. Most modern forms name who can make important decisions about your medical care when you are not able to make them. The forms also provide guidance as to what medical treatment you may want. These forms are almost always available free.
For a free advanced medical directive form in Virginia, click here. In Virginia, the document must be witnessed by two people, but they are not required to be a notary.
For a free advanced medical directive form in the District of Columbia, click here. This document must be witnessed by two people, but they are not required to be a notary.
For a free advanced medical directive form in West Virginia, click here.
Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney permits another person to manage all of your financial matters. They may be drafted to either take effect as soon as the document is signed or when the person signing the document is determined to be unable to make their own decisions. They can apply to one situation, or be very broad. A Power of Attorney can be a complicated legal document that should be drafted by an attorney and reviewed in detail with the client. This document can permit a third party to gain access to all of your bank accounts, the deed to your home, and the title to your car.
Most states (including Virginia and West Virginia) have adopted the Uniform Power of Attorney Act.
Virginia. For information about the Power of Attorney in Virginia, click here. No public entity provides a form general power of attorney or one that would apply to everything. Some public divisions, such as the DMV, provide a form for a limited power of attorney that may apply to certain transactions. This will not provide any authority beyond that transaction. It is best to contact an attorney to help you with this important document.
West Virginia. For a free Power of Attorney form in West Virginia, click here. However, you should consult with a lawyer to be sure that you understand what you are signing before executing this document. This form must be notarized.
For information and a free Power of Attorney form in the District of Columbia, click here. Remember to consult with a lawyer before signing to be sure you understand the implications of signing this document.
Wills and Avoiding Probate
We have not provided a sample form for a fill in the blank wills. I don’t recommend them! Fill in the blank forms may cause many more problems than they resolve. Assets may more efficiently pass outside of the will or outside of probate and a lawyer can help you understand how to avoid placing items in probate. Working with a lawyer helps avoid creating conflicting documents that may generate conflict in your family.
What’s next? If you don’t run into any questions and are comfortable signing legal forms without talking with an attorney, feel free to download the forms in your state for the power of attorney and medical directive, complete them, and have them notarized. But that might not be the best idea! We provides these documents, along with a simple will, at a very reasonable cost. We also provide services for families with more complicated situations. We have mediated with many families who want to create an estate plan that will maintain the estate and the relationships. If you need help evaluating your options, we offer a free fifteen minute consultation that you can sign up for here.