Our attorneys are committed to providing you with information that will help you and your family to live better lives. As part of that commitment, we are sharing our thoughts on estate planning for unmarried couples.
While estate planning is a good idea for everyone, estate planning is especially important for unmarried couples. This includes wills, living wills, healthcare powers of attorney, and financial powers of attorney. A married couple automatically assumes the power to make decisions about a spouse’s medical treatment, healthcare, finances, and property. However, an unmarried couple doesn’t automatically enjoy these rights. We can get you those rights with estate documents.
Oftentimes, we are unprepared for life’s surprises. Unmarried couples run a specific risk; for example, should a person get into an accident and rendered unable to make medical decisions, their partner might be forced to sit by as decisions are made without them because they lack a legal right to participate. Or, for example, if a boyfriend of 20 years passes away, the girlfriend might be left without any claim to the property they shared for 2 decades. Estate documents can conquer these troubling scenario.
A Will can ensure your partner receives the property you share. A Living Will can express your wishes and desires for medical treatment in the event you are unable to voice these desires later. A Healthcare Power of Attorney can grant your partner the power to make decisions regarding your medical care, enforce your Living Will, and access your medical records. A Financial Power of Attorney grants your partner the ability to handle your finances, accounts, and property in the event you are rendered unable to. Unmarried couples aren’t granted the rights married couples are, but these documents can provide you with the rights you might want and need in the future.
At Ross & Ross, we are dedicated to helping our clients live better, more fulfilling lives. Call us anytime you need help. We are a full service firm, which means we handle almost everything. If we don’t handle it, we know who does and can direct you to them. Among other things, we routinely practice personal injury, bankruptcy* and debt matters, wills, powers of attorney, and family law.
* Federal law requires the following disclosure: We are a debt relief agency helping people file for relief through bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code.
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***The contents of this site are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. No attorney-client relationship exists until one of our attorneys meets with you and agrees to accept you as a client.
