There comes a point in all of our lives when we will be unable to take care of ourselves, or when doing so would prove incredibly difficult. It’s very important to write down your desires and wishes for the future; it is unlikely requests made verbally will be upheld in Court. For those of us fortunate enough to be able to prepare in advance for this moment, we should all also realize that we cannot 100% predict our future situation. Because of this uncertainty, we will inevitably have to depend upon others to assist us. “Others” may include designated legal proxies, trustees, legal and financial advisors, family members, trusted friends, and professional care staff. Consult an experienced estate planning attorney, while you have testamentary capacity, to learn how you can document your desires, properly plan ahead, appropriately designate beneficiaries, and place important documents in one organized place.