Many people understand the different ways in which their lives are affected by the divorce process, such as those who have to deal with a custody dispute, child support payments, alimony, property division or some other common family law matter. It is crucial to keep in mind that some people face unique responsibilities during and after their divorce. For example, someone may have to make changes to their estate plan or revise their health care proxy following the end of their marriage. There are various reasons why it may be crucial to look over your health care proxy after divorce and make any necessary changes.
Often, people who set up a health care proxy grant their spouse the power to make key health care decisions for them in the event that they become incapacitated. For example, if someone is incapacitated following an unexpected motor vehicle crash, their spouse may have the ability to step in and make crucial decisions related to the victim’s health care.
Unfortunately, marriages do not always work out and this can be problematic for someone who fails to update their health care proxy after divorce. For example, many people would no longer want a former spouse to have the ability to make such critical decisions, which highlights how vital it is to make revisions as soon as possible. After all, procrastination could be very problematic in the event that an unexpected health crisis takes place. From revising a health care proxy to taking another look at your estate plan, there are a number of responsibilities for some people after divorce.