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Power of Attorney

Power of Attorney in Illinois

Chicago Powers of Attorney for Property and Health Care Lawyers

What Does a Power of Attorney Do?

At Metz & Jones LLC, we offer comprehensive estate planning services on behalf of clients throughout Illinois. As with wills and trusts, our LGBT estate planning lawyers in Chicago are able to execute powers of attorney for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and couples throughout the state of Illinois. One critical estate planning instrument that should be a part of every estate plan is the power of attorney.

A power of attorney document authorizes a third party to act on behalf of an individual in the event the individual is unable to make critical decisions for his or her welfare due to incapacity. In the state of Illinois, we have separate power of attorney documents for health care matters and for financial matters.

A power of attorney for property documents may grant another party the right to make financial decisions for you or a loved one should they become incapacitated. Having someone you trust designated to make sure your mortgage, rent, utilities, and other important bills are paid is vital. If you are a small business owner, having a power of attorney is even more important. They will be able to act on behalf of the company’s financial and banking matters should the owner be unable to. A power of attorney for health care grants the person you trust to make end-of-life decisions if you are unable to speak for yourself.

Take control of your life decisions and make sure the individuals you trust are helping you during a period of incapacity by making sure you have a trustworthy power of attorney in place.

Why is it Important to Have a Power of Attorney?

If you do not have a valid power of attorney instrument prior to the time that you become incapacitated, your loved ones will likely have to hire an attorney to seek guardianship in a probate court proceeding. While we represent clients in guardianship proceedings as well, we advise our clients that a properly executed power of attorney document may allow them to avoid the necessity of guardianship proceedings, thus saving their families considerable stress and legal costs.

Estate Planning for Lesbian and Gay Couples

Estate planning is critical for all families, but it has particular importance to gay and lesbian couples that do not enjoy all of the same legal rights as married spouses. Our Illinois estate planning lawyers are dedicated to serving the LGBTQ community. We have vast experience serving this particular community with their estate plans and have the tools necessary to get you properly set up with a power of attorney.

While Illinois has recently enacted legislation that enables lesbian and gay couples to enter into a civil union, many states throughout the country and the federal government do not recognize civil unions, and moving and traveling can affect the protection afforded by your civil union. Whether or not you are in a civil union, it is critical that same-sex couples have a comprehensive estate plan in place that defines their wishes regarding the distribution of their estate, critical health care decisions, and other vital matters that will affect them and their loved ones.

Contact Metz & Jones LLC

To schedule a consultation with one of our LGBT estate planning lawyers in Chicago, call 773-878-4480 or contact us by e-mail. Our office is located in Chicago, Illinois, and our experienced Chicago gay estate planning attorneys look forward to working with you.

Metz & Jones LLC provides a high level of client service that has resulted in the cultivation of many long-standing client relationships.

Serving the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community and Friends in Chicago, Cook County, and Illinois.