Durable Powers for Healthcare Decisions:  This document gives your trusted designated agent the power to decide while you are unable to consent (coma, etc.) and to enforce your wishes in court.

Elder Law:  A person should plan for the future more than just financially. Advance planning prevents undue hardship and surprises not in conformity with your wishes.

Guardianship:  This is a court process with all the time consuming expenses and frustrations that might be avoided with planning to protect assets of someone who in the future might not be able to handle their financial affairs or is physically challenged.

Probate:  This is the court process that publically resolves all your debts and distributes your assets remaining. The executor of the estate bears fiduciary responsibility to handle this properly and is entitled to hire attorneys to help with this process.

Revocable Living Trust:  This is the most common form of family trust. It can provide for handling of assets without the public disclosures that occur in probate proceedings and generally is more private, faster and less time-consuming. It can also provide for handling financial affairs in a non-public manner.

Wills:  This document is only effective when it is filed with the court after the testator dies. It is made effective through use of the probate court.