Question from D.J.
“Thank you for the Powers of Attorney that Peace Of Mind prepared for my wife and me. Now that we have them, we’re wondering about our two adult sons. They’re both single and don’t have significant others right now. Should they consider having these documents, too?”
Answer
Yes. Being single doesn’t mean you don’t need these documents. In fact, for some people, it can make having them even more important.
A Durable Power of Attorney allows you to name someone you trust to handle financial and legal matters for you if you become unable to do so yourself. An Advance Directive for Health Care allows you to state your wishes concerning medical treatment and name a health care proxy to make health-care decisions for you if you cannot communicate or make those decisions yourself.
Your sons don’t have to be married, own a home, or have children to benefit from having these documents. They simply need to decide who they would want making important decisions for them if an accident, illness, or other unexpected situation prevented them from making those decisions themselves.
There’s an important distinction here. For financial matters, having a Durable Power of Attorney allows your son to choose the person he wants to act for him rather than leaving that question to be dealt with after a crisis occurs. For health-care decisions, Oklahoma law provides rules for who may make decisions when an adult has not designated someone, but that person may not necessarily be the person your son would have chosen himself.
The key isn’t whether your sons are married. The key question is:
“If I couldn’t make an important financial or medical decision for myself tomorrow, who would I want making it for me?”
If each of them has someone they trust to fill that role, putting that choice in writing while they are healthy and able to make their own decisions can provide an additional measure of peace of mind.
That’s one of the reasons we say planning ahead isn’t just about what happens at the end of life. It’s also about making sure someone you trust can help when you need it.
Oklahoma Note
In Oklahoma, financial powers of attorney are governed by the Uniform Power of Attorney Act. Health-care decisions are addressed separately through an Advance Directive for Health Care.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice for your particular situation.