A power of attorney for health care allows one person (the Principal) to grant power to another person (an Agent or Attorney-in-Fact) to make medical decisions for the Principal during a period of illness or incompetence.
This can mean authorizing any type of medical treatment, surgery, medication, and can include approving or rejecting life-extending services.
“Durable” means that the power of attorney will continue to exist if you become incompetent or so ill that you are unable to answer.
Suppose the wife of a wealthy lawyer files for divorce in January, and the couple spends several months negotiating a settlement. Eight months later, they still haven’t got the divorce settled, and the lawyer gets awarded a big fee in a case he’s been working on for several years. When I say “big”, I mean a fee in the amount of $17,000,000. It’s been almost a year since the couple split up, is the wife entitled to some of that money?
Read MoreEven if you have a perfectly good prenup that makes adequate provision for your spouse, leaves the custody decisions up to the court, and makes a perfectly sensible division of property, you can still screw it up.
Read MoreIf you spend much time watching TV or follow the dramatic lives and divorces of celebrities, you’ve undoubtedly heard of prenuptial agreements (what some people call a “prenup”) and the problems they can cause.
Read MoreYesterday the news broke that the person who authorized doctors to remove Gary Coleman’s life support was his ex-wife. Who has the power to pull your plug?
Read MoreSo what’s the problem? The divorce has been filed. The parties are separated. The kids are spending time with each parent. The divorce is so close you can taste it, why not go ahead get out there, have some fun, and re-enter the dating scene?
Read More