A FAMILY EMERGENCY INVOLVING A loved one, including a serious illness, can happen without warning. Lining up these legal documents in advance— and keeping them in a safe but accessible place—will save you precious time and unnecessary hassle.
Durable power of attorney. This document, which generally goes into effect immediately, gives you and your spouse (or partner) the authority to manage each other’s finances if one of you becomes incapacitated. Adult children or a trusted friend can also hold your power of attorney. You can order the form from an online legal site, such as Nolo.com, for about $60. But the better route is to use an estateplanning lawyer. A lawyer will make sure the form conforms to state law and is properly executed.
This story is from the July 2020 edition of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
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This story is from the July 2020 edition of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
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