However, take note that the healthcare power of attorney is not the same as a living will, which is a document to express your personal wishes in case you would need life-sustaining procedures. The durable power of attorney could be a general, healthcare or special power of attorney containing specific durability provisions. Also, it helps to assess your children to determine which ones can decide according to your best interest or your wishes. That means going for someone who will manage your finances and personal matters just as you would have. Trust Your level of trust matters a lot when deciding whom you will authorize to make important decisions on your behalf. If you want to protect your assets and secure your financial future, then preparing a POA is one of the best decisions that you will ever make in your life. A lot of people have wrong notions about powers of attorney. They think that only the elderly as well as those with massive assets are only the ones who must draft power-of-attorney forms. This is very sensitive because the grantee will have the power to allow or disallow health care and will even be able to decide if hospitals will pull the plug in case the principal falls into a coma. There is also what they call the Psychiatric Advance Directives, which gives the grantee the right to decide for the care and treatment of someone who is mentally ill. It would be safe to get that document even if you are in the pink of health or even if you do not foresee any event that would make you unable to handle your affairs. There are several frequently asked questions about this subject. It would be wise to be more familiar about power of attorney to fully understand how it could be of best use for you. Medical powers of attorney particularly involve medical care decisions that agents make for their principals. You still need one even if you already have drafted a living will. Medical powers of attorney and living wills are two different legal documents. The former merely authorizes a person to make important medical care decisions such as those regarding use of life support when the principal is mentally incapable of doing this for himself or herself.