Advance Directives Archives - Tanya Hobson-Williams

Last updated by Tanya Hobson-Williams at April 28, 2023.

What Happens if You Do Not Have Advance Directives in Place?

Advance directives are an important part of any estate plan, but not everyone has them in place for their future. As a result, they may not be ready for a potential circumstances that could arise requiring their loved ones scrambling to deal with the situations over which no one has control or authority.

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Are Your Advance Directives Up to Date?

One of the most essential components of any estate plan is advance directives. These documents can help protect a person’s interests in the event that they become unable to manage their own affairs. However, advance directives are not documents you can simply create and forget about. If they are not up to date, you could face significant legal issues later on. Continue reading “Are Your Advance Directives Up to Date?”

What is the Difference Between a Guardianship and a Power of Attorney?

When someone becomes incapacitated or otherwise unable to make their own decisions for themselves, one of two things will happen. If the person has already signed a power of attorney, that will take effect, and whoever has been granted the power of attorney will make decisions on that person’s behalf from then on. However, if they do not have a power of attorney, a guardian will be appointed to fill a similar role. But what is the difference between someone being granted power of attorney, and someone being appointed a guardianship? Continue reading “What is the Difference Between a Guardianship and a Power of Attorney?”

Five Things to Consider When Planning Your Estate

Estate planning is an important task for anyone advancing in years, especially for anyone with a large amount of property that will need to be allocated after your demise. But what do you need to consider when you’re planning your estate? What can you do to avoid catastrophe when the worst comes to pass? Well, here’s five questions to ask yourself when you’re planning your estate. Continue reading “Five Things to Consider When Planning Your Estate”

When to Consider a Power of Attorney

If you have family members that are growing older or have a loved one with diminished ability to care for themselves, you may need to consider a power of attorney. But what is a power of attorney? And when is it appropriate to consider for yourself or your loved ones? Continue reading “When to Consider a Power of Attorney”

Considering Advance Directives

If you or a loved one are advancing in age, or if your health is deteriorating, it may be wise to investigate the possibility of advance directives. Broadly speaking, advance directives are legal documents that convey your desires, if you are incapable of making those desires known yourself. The term “advance directives” generally covers four kinds of documents: living wills, health care proxies, powers of attorney, and Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNRs). Continue reading “Considering Advance Directives”

As Population Ages, Demand for Elder Law Attorneys Grows

The U.S. Census Bureau is predicting that, by 2035, there will be more people over the age of 65 than children under the age of 18 in the United States. This would be the first time in United States history that the elderly has outnumbered children resulting from multiple ongoing trends, such as longer life spans among the elderly and declining birth rates among millennials. This means that the need for elder law attorneys, and other people who specifically deal with issues related to the elderly, will become more important than ever.

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Did Restaurateur B. Smith Have Advance Directives in Place?

Renowned restaurateur and former model, B. Smith, announced alongside her husband in 2014 that she was suffering from the early-onset symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. As Ms. Smith’s disease progressed, her husband began an extra-marital affair to cope with the deterioration of his wife’s memory. After going public with the relationship, Smith’s husband received considerable backlash from the online community who condemned his behavior on the assumption that if Smith’s mental state were better off, she would not approve. It is unknown whether B. Smith executed any advanced directives or end-of-life care instructions before her condition worsened.
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