Estate Planning

We can help you with the following areas related to Estate Planning:

What is a power of attorney?

A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document containing a written authorization to delegate power and authority to act on behalf of another person. The person who signs the POA is called the Principal. The Principal gives legal authority to another person (the Agent or Attorney-in-Fact) to make decisions on behalf of the Principal. There are two main categories: financial and medical. All of the POA documents discussed below require the Principal to execute (sign) the document while they are of sound mind and can fulfill the mental capacity requirements under Arizona law.

What happens if I don’t have a power of attorney and something happens to me?

If a POA was not put in place or is not valid for some reason and an individual is unable to manage his or her personal, financial and/or health decisions then a court proceeding would be started to ensure the individual is protected and taken care of. This process is called Guardianship and Conservatorship. This process typically takes 6 months and costs approximately $5,000.00. All funds would be frozen until the Court Order giving control to the Conservatorship, which could likely cause a great deal of stress and frustration for your loved ones.