WHAT'S THE PAY OFF

There is a long-term pay off for taking care of important but undesirable tasks now instead of later - it’s the calm in the storm.

I’ve seen the mental anguish people go through dealing with tragic and unexpected events like death, disability, mental illness, or Alzheimer’s.

You have the energy and mental capacity right now to take care of the mundane before something comes along that may sideline your ability to deal with life.

In 2006, my father signed a POA an hour before he went to ER; a few hours later, he was a quadriplegic, but I was able to pay his bills on time.

In 2008, my mother signed a POA while she was mentally competent, and now she is showing signs of cognitive decline.

Get one now before it's too late because a mentally incompetent person cannot sign legal documents.

A POA will at least give you the ability to manage their finances.

The pay off comes when the inevitable day arrives and things like a POA or a Will or a Representation Agreement have been taken care of.