Without a Durable Power of Attorney, no one can sign legal or financial documents for you if you are unable to because of illness, accident or absence. This means bills can be left unpaid, dependents may go without access to assets, or your accounts could be frozen.

Setting up a Revocable Trust is one way to protect assets. Read an article here to find out more about living trusts, the difference between a living trust and a will, the types of trusts and much more.

Without a Living Will and Health Care Surrogate designation, decisions concerning your body and your life could be made by the court, government agency or medical professionals, rather than a trusted person you choose. Without a proper expression of your wishes, the hospital may artificially keep you alive, or there may be legal battles over how you should be treated.

Everyone 18 and older should have properly executed documents. Without them, the person’s wishes and notes may be legally meaningless, resulting in costly and difficult legal battles.