The Experience of a Rookie Power of Attorney Series, Topic Four

Greetings! 

Who is Family?  I know this sounds strange, but create a document that includes all your family and very close friends. List their name, address, phone number, and relationship. Why? Because the POA will need to know how to reach these people for several reasons. One is to let them know there is something wrong with you (illness, accident etc.) that has led to this POA and potentially HealthCare Surrogate as well. These people will need to be updated periodically about your well-being and situation as it improves or declines. Second, if any of these people are listed in your Will to receive anything upon your death, they will need to be notified. Third, as the end of life is approaching for you, the POA will need to reach out to all these folks and probably others, to advise them of your death and the arrangements that have been made. When you as POA sit down with an attorney to create all the legal documents for your passing, you will need this information. Best be prepared.

My friend had listed the beneficiaries in her Will but they lived in other countries with little contact information. Thank goodness she had the appropriate legal documents prepared a number of years prior to her cancer illness, so they were in place. But there were other close friends around the country that started to find me because Alma was not returning their communications. It would have been easier if she had created a list of college roommates and other friends with whom she still kept in touch. As I began to communicate with these people, I was very cautious (it was my duty as POA to keep my friend safe) but as I continued to have conversations with them, we became friends. It was a pleasure and blessing to have connected with these people.

Watch for the next blog in the series, 

Nyda