Baby boomers beware . . . there’s a new custody battle on the rise and it has nothing to do with family court, divorce or minor children. In fact, the newest custody battle is over YOU and it’s occurring statewide in our Probate Courts.
As many of us age, we simply hope someone will be there to help care for us in our final years. Do you know who will manage your health and finances if you’re unable to do so?
So, how do we avoid anyone fighting over us in court? Less than one-third (1/3) of our population has executed a Health Care Power of Attorney or General Durable Power of Attorney to name an agent to act in our place. The reasons why vary from person to person but we’ve found for the most part it’s just wishful thinking that we will die peacefully in our sleep without facing the hurdles of aging including dementia and or Alzheimer’s Disease. Statistics; however, tell a different story. One in 3 seniors will die with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia. One in 8 people over age 65 in the United States has Alzheimer’s disease now, and nearly 50% over age 85 are suffering. In 2014, an estimated 5.2 million people in the United States were living with Alzheimer’s disease. Sobering, isn’t it? What’s worse is that as a whole, we’re completely unprepared and by the time we realize it (or our family does), it’s often too late because we’ve lost the ability to legally execute these documents. For more information on obtaining these documents, please contact our office for a completely free (no obligation or sales pitch) consultation. And if you’re reading this because you already have a parent in this situation, please make sure to read our other posts on Guardians and Conservators to better understand the Court’s role. Still have questions? Post them here or call/text our office at 843-871-9500. We’d love to hear from you.
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AuthorThis blog is authored by the probate law team at Provence Messervy which includes Tiffany Provence, David Causey and Virginia Spencer. Categories
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