Some lucky retirees split their time between two different states. You do not need separate estate planning documents for each state, but it may make sense to do so.
While your Will should be from the state that is your primary residence, your Durable Power of Attorney and Advance Medical Directive from another state might present challenges.
Financial and health care institutions are used to the documents used in their states and may refuse to honor out-of-state documents. In the case of health care documents, other states may use different terms for the document, such as “durable power of attorney for health care” or “advance directive.” Durable Power of Attorney requirements vary significantly from state to state. (And the people reviewing your documents may not be willing to accept the other state’s language).
In the absence of a durable power of attorney and advance medical directive, family members often must resort to going to court for a guardianship. This causes delay and and unnecessary legal fees.
So, if you spend a part of the year in another state, executing a local durable power of attorney and a medical directive is a good idea.
Call the Law Offices of Debra G. Simms at 386.256.4882 to learn more.
This blog post is not case-specific and is provided only for educational purposes and is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Blog topics may or may not be updated and entries may be out-of-date at the time you view them.
