Legal Planning for Domestic Partners, Same Sex Couples and Young Adults

Although great strides have been made in the last few months to grant gay and lesbian couples greater privileges in the eyes of the law, it is now more critical than ever to have a tailored estate plan. Likewise, although domestic partners receive recognition in some areas, it is imperative that those choosing to become domestic partners partake in critical estate planning so as to protect their rights in the event of incapacity or death. Living wills, powers of attorney, preneed and healthcare surrogate designations are imperative legal documents that every domestic partner and/or gay/lesbian couple must execute in order to have a well crafted estate plan.

Parents are often shocked when their young adults require medical care, yet the parents cannot gain access to such information because the "child" is eighteen years of age or older. HIPAA laws restrict parents' access to such medical information. Our office can help you draft powers of attorney, HIPAA designation forms, and other advance directives (such as a living will or preneed guardianship designation) for young adults so that their medical and financial well being is protected in the event of a crisis. These documents can also be amended in the event the young adult marries or enters into subsequent domestic partnership agreements.