If you’re ready to start planning for your estate to grow and benefit your children, now is a great time to do so. Ohio has a number of estate planning laws and regulations that can benefit you given the chance.
Take, for example, the estate planning laws that regulate powers of attorney (POA). Your durable power of attorney is a person who can make decisions about your health and medical care when you can’t do so yourself. The laws make sure that the durable power of attorney has only the right to make decisions on treatments, interventions and measures that serve to prolong your life. This wouldn’t override your choice of a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, but it would make sure the person could “do no harm” to you willingly by making bad medical decisions on your behalf.
Did you know that there are also requirements on who can be a durable power of attorney? No, you can’t just appoint anyone you want. You need to choose someone who is of sound mind and who is over the age of 18. In addition to this, you’ll have to have two adult witnesses who can attest to the potential durable power of attorney’s sound mind and freedom of choice in becoming your POA.
Remember that the POA does not expire unless you set a date of expiry. You can revoke it at any time, giving you the full right to appoint the person you want as a POA and to take that power away if necessary. This is something your attorney can help you set up.