Whether or not it’s nice to admit, aging and accidents are an inevitable part of life. The best one can do is to be prepared, and a little bit of foresight and proactive planning can save one’s family members from having to spend a lot of money to be able to participate on the decision making and to be on the loop of our medical conditions.
Having a Representation Agreement (RA) is one such way to be prepared. When preparing a Will, it is a good idea to prepare your Representation Agreement at the same time. We do offer a package deal that saves you money, as we can do both documents at the same appointments. If you already have a Will, not a problem, we can prepare a RA on its own.
What is a Representation Agreement?
A RA is the name of a document that allow representatives to make health and personal decisions on your behalf, in case you are alive, but cannot speak for yourself. Many people assume that a Power of Attorney (POA) grant those powers. Unfortunately, that is wrong. A POA only grants powers for legal and financial decisions.
A RA used to be called a “living will”. With a RA, there is no deceased and therefore no estate to divide; it is concerned specifically with medical procedures while the person is still alive. A RA provides a way to make provisional medical decisions for oneself in the future. If circumstances leave a person unable to communicate their own wishes, a RA can specify which medical procedures will be authorized or declined on behalf of the individual. The representative appointed will have powers based on what the adult has given them. These can be full powers, or restricted in any way, based on specific wished from the adult.
Why Use a Notary for Your Representation Agreement?
Though not necessarily required by law, having a notary prepare the RA can facilitate the process and ensure that everything conforms to requirements. For important decisions such as this, a notary can help provide peace of mind that everything is in proper order.
At Zancope Notary Public, our specialty is Wills and Estate Planning documents (Representation Agreement and Power of Attorney). We are a full-service firm with two notaries full time at the office. We also offer real estate services for clients in Langley and throughout Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. We can help you with buying, selling, and refinancing real estate, and provide family property transfers and independent legal advice.
If you have any questions about this article or estate planning, in general, or if you want to make an appointment with Zancope Notary Public, please contact us at (604) 260-6783.
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