• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Wilcox Attorneys, PA

Wilcox Attorneys, PA an Arkansas Estate Planning & Trust Information Center

Northwest Arkansas Estate Planning Attorneys (479) 443-0062

Client Vault
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • Our Firm
    • About the American Academy
    • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • News & Events
    • Speaker Connection
  • services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Incapacity Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • Secure Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Webinars
  • Practice Areas
  • Resources
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Estate Planning Resources
      • Estate Planning Articles
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • Medicaid Planning
      • Pet Planning
      • Probate
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Newsletters
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Trust Administration & Probate Resources
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss of a Loved One
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Contact Us
  • Blog

Why You Should Plan for Disability

October 11, 2010 by Deb Sexton Leave a Comment

You may be among the lucky ones who never have to experience a life-changing disability, but since you won’t know until it does or doesn’t happen, you should always be prepared. You can prepare for a possible disability with the help of your attorney and a solid Disability Plan.

Avoid Guardianship

If you become mentally or physically disabled to the extreme of not being able to make your own choices, you need someone to assist with your medical decisions. With a Disability Plan you can sign an Advance Medical Directive, also called an Advance Health Care Directive or a Medical Power of Attorney. Your medical directive will allow you to name a loved one to act as your health care advocate. This person will have access to information a doctor would normally provide to you only. Your agent will use the information supplied to making any necessary health care decisions on your behalf.

If you do not have a legal plan that names a health care agent, then a court of law will choose an advocate for you through a conservatorship or guardianship. A court-imposed guardianship can cause many problems within your family if some of your loved ones do not agree with the selected guardian. Also, your guardian may not be the person you feel would be best at making decisions for you. When you name a health care advocate in advance, you have time to speak with your advocate to make sure he or she understand your wishes and can seamlessly take over your health care when it is time.

State your Medical Preferences

You should also have a Disability Plan in order to state your medical preferences. You can do so with the help of a Living Will. If you do not advise of your medical wishes in advance, your chosen advocate or your court-ordered guardian will have to guess at the type of medical treatment you would have chosen.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Deb Sexton
Latest posts by Deb Sexton (see all)
  • Estate Planning is Essential Whether You Are Married or Not - April 25, 2018
  • Income Tax Basis in Estate Planning – Part 2 - April 23, 2018
  • The Downsizing Generation: How to Handle a Surplus of Stuff When a Loved One Ages - April 18, 2018

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Wilcox Attorneys, PA

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHEET

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

Subscribe to Our Blog

Subscribe to our blog for all the latest estate planning news and updates!

Office Address

Fayetteville
2766 Millennium Drive
Fayetteville, AR 72703
Phone: (479) 443-0062

Office Address

Prairie Grove
1100 Division Street, Suite 4
Prairie Grove, AR 72753
Phone: (479) 846-6026

( By Appointment Only )

Office Hours

Monday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Map

map for office
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

footer-logo

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.