Your electric bills do not stop coming just because you're in intensive care. If you're incapacitated, you need someone you trust to manage your finances and important medical decisions on your behalf. A financial power of attorney and a healthcare power of attorney put the right person in charge if you can't speak for yourself.
Without a durable power of attorney and a healthcare power of attorney, your family can be locked out of the decisions that matter most.
These two documents appoint the people you trust to act on your behalf and state your wishes in writing, so your family is not left guessing and your care team knows exactly what you want. These documents matter most if you have substantial assets that need managing, or religious or personal preferences surrounding certain surgeries, medications, or life support.
Without powers of attorney, three problems tend to happen at once:
A complete plan designates decision makers to act on your behalf for both financial and medical concerns, and provides each of them with instructions that clearly communicate your wishes.
Designates someone to handle your legal and financial matters if you can't: paying bills, managing bank accounts, dealing with insurance, signing documents, etc. Critical if you have significant assets or time-sensitive obligations.
Empowers a person you trust to make medical decisions when you cannot, so treatment aligns with your beliefs and care teams act in accordance with your wishes instead of defaulting to hospital policy.
A healthcare directive, not a last will. It states your wishes on life-sustaining treatment: resuscitation and DNR orders, intubation and ventilation, certain medications, and organ or tissue donation.
Lets your doctors and other providers share your medical information with the agents and family members you name, so the people advocating for you are not shut out by privacy rules at the worst possible moment.
A living will is not a last will and testament. It is a healthcare directive that states what you want when you can't say it yourself.
When these wishes are clear and formalized, providers can follow them and your healthcare agent can advocate effectively. Typical decisions include:
Many clients choose a spouse, adult child, or sibling. The right person is reliable, close enough to act, and aligned with you. Talk to your chosen agents in advance so they know what to expect.
Someone dependable and close enough to step in quickly when timing matters.
An agent who can stay levelheaded and advocate for you in a tense hospital or financial setting.
For the durable financial POA, pick someone who can responsibly handle your accounts and obligations.
For the healthcare POA, choose someone who will honor your treatment wishes.
We create state-compliant documents tailored to your situation, then make sure they're executed and shared correctly.
We help you think through who should handle your finances and medical decisions, and name backups in case your first choice is unavailable.
We draft your durable and healthcare powers of attorney and a living will that reflect your wishes, setting broad authority or precise limits as needed.
We coordinate execution with the required witnesses and a notary so your documents are valid and ready to use under Ohio law.
We guide you on sharing copies of your documents with family, doctors, and financial institutions, and keep updates straightforward as your life evolves.
You don't always need a blanket authorization. A narrowly tailored power of attorney can solve a targeted problem with the scope defined precisely.
“Protect your wishes, and spare your family from hard decisions made without guidance.”
The foundation: a will that directs your wishes and a living trust that keeps your family out of probate court.
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A revocable living trust that keeps your estate out of probate, private, and under your control while you're alive.
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Your wishes on life-sustaining treatment, in writing, paired with a healthcare power of attorney so your family never has to guess.
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Helping Ohio families avoid probate, with estate plans structured to keep their affairs out of the courts.
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Tailored trusts for minors, special-needs heirs, blended families, and staged distributions over time.
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Permanent protection for real estate, investments, and business, shielded from taxes, creditors, and probate.
Learn moreIrrevocable structures (including the Ohio Legacy Trust) that put wealth beyond the reach of future lawsuits and creditors.
Learn moreHear directly from clients across Ohio.
Wills, trusts, and powers of attorney with a flat fee quoted up front. A free introduction is all it takes to start.
