Can a Person with Dementia Sign Legal Documents? (Part 2)
MARCH 4, 2013 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 9 Last week we posed the question, and then mostly wrote about competence (or capacity) to sign a will. We promised to explain more about the level of competence required to sign other documents. So let us now tackle that concept. A person with a diagnosis of dementia may […]
The Difference Between Powers of Attorney and Guardianship
JULY 18, 2011 VOLUME 18 NUMBER 26 “Elder law” (what we practice here at Fleming & Curti, PLC) can be a fairly broad practice area. We work in estate planning, long-term care planning, guardianship and conservatorship, trust administration and probate — and each of those areas encompasses a number of other topics as well. But […]
Advice On Making Health Care Decisions For Someone Else
AUGUST 10, 2009 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 50 When you name someone as your health care agent, you literally entrust them with life-and-death decisions. When you are the agent the job can sometimes seem overwhelming. Sometimes health care decisions must be made by someone who was not even designated in a power of attorney. A “surrogate” […]
Some Advice About Selecting Fiduciaries For Your Estate Plan
APRIL 20, 2009 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 37 When it comes time to complete estate planning, our clients usually have clear ideas about who should receive their property, what health care decisions they would want made — even how they feel about cremation, burial, organ donation and most of the other issues that must be addressed. […]
What Have We Learned From The Tragedy of Terri Schiavo?
APRIL 4, 2005 VOLUME 12, NUMBER 40 By most reports Terri Schiavo was a shy and quiet woman, and she might well have been distressed if she had anticipated that the process of her dying would become such a public spectacle. Much has been written about her, her family, her wishes, her condition, and the […]