Writing Your Tulsa Estate Planning Blog

It isn’t just money and clothes on the list, when leaving home for that freshman year in college.

Parents want what is best for their children. There are a few things that should be done before a child goes off to college, according to the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog in “Five Essentials for College Freshman.”

Things that you can do include:

•Get your child a health care power of attorney. If your child has a medical emergency, you will want to make sure you or someone else has the legal authority to make important health care decisions.

•Get your child a general durable power of attorney. This will make it so you or someone else can handle your child’s finances in an emergency.

•Get your child a will. While hopefully not necessary, should the worst happen, it would be good for your child to have a will. If nothing else, getting a will should help your child understand why having a will is important.

•Make sure that your child knows about cyber security and how to protect their identity. The internet is still a dangerous place in many ways. Future employers also know all about social media.

•Have your child get a credit card. It is possible your child might abuse it, but establishing credit early is important enough to take that risk.

Reference: Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog (July 12, 2017) “Five Essentials for College Freshman.”

The first instinct for doctors and other health care workers, is to do everything possible to save the lives of their patients. That can be in conflict with the wishes of those patients, which is leading to lawsuits.

Millions of Americans have completed advanced medical directives such as health care powers of attorney and living wills. More and more people are taking advantage of their legal options to give directives to health care professionals about what treatments they wish to receive and what should be done to preserve their lives.

While this has empowered millions to take charge of their own end of life care, it has not been without conflict as The New York Times reports in “The Patients Were Saved, That’s Why the Families Are Suing.”

The problems start when the patients’ advanced directives are not followed.

Health care workers, who are either unaware of the directives or uncertain about them, have been known to resuscitate patients who do not wish to be, for example. This had led some families to sue for saving the lives of their sick relatives, which is a new position for doctors to be in. Most suits normally come when they fail to save patients.

It leaves many doctors bewildered, since the Hippocratic Oath does not suggest that saving a patient’s life is ever inappropriate.

Americans deserve to have their advanced medical directives respected and followed. Much thought and consideration goes into the decisions people make about their end of life care.

This is an issue that requires further education and making sure that health care workers are made aware of their patients’ advanced directives, so they can be sure to follow those directives.

Reference: New York Times (April 10, 2017) “The Patients Were Saved, That’s Why the Families Are Suing.”