The Law Office of Dallas Lain

In my last post, we talked about who would make medical decisions for you if you don’t have a written power of attorney for health care. The Wyoming statute suggests that health care providers look first to your spouse, then a grown child, then your parents, and so on. This statutory scheme happens to coincide with my personal wishes–that my husband make these decisions, and if he is not available then my mother (since I have no grown children, my parents would be next under the statute as well).

The statute would work just fine for me. But what if you are in a committed relationship, but not legally married? There is no provision in the statute for your partner to have any decision making authority at all. If that is your case, you need a power of attorney for health care even more than a person whose wishes would most likely be aligned what the statute suggests.

Related posts:

1. You Need a Plan–Advance Health Care Directive
2. You Need a Plan–Durable Power of Attorney
3. Welcome to The Law Office of Dallas Lain
4. Much Ado About the Federal Estate Tax
5. You Need A Plan

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