Legal Documents - When You Plan to Travel This Summer By Tom Williams

Quincy - With the arrival of spring, many prepare to leave their winter quarters and head on summer retreats. Some may travel across the country or even the world to experience all life has to offer. As an attorney with a specialty in elder law, I would advise you to have the following legal documents in order should you to plan to travel this summer. 1.  A Health Care Proxy which names an individual who will make medical decisions for you if you are unable to make the decisions yourself. 2.  A Power of Attorney allows someone to make financial decisions under circumstances where you cannot. The Power of Attorney may be a Present Power of Attorney whereby the appointed attorney may make financial decisions immediately or a Springing Power of Attorney whereby the attorney may only make a decision if you become mentally incompetent. 3.  A Will presents your testamentary disposition as far as your assets are concerned but equally as important, it names an executor or executrix who will take charge of the your affairs. 4.  In order to avoid the time and expense of probate and often save on estate taxes, I always recommend that a senior execute and fund a trust. Here are some other travel tips to take into consideration: 1.  Make sure your health insurance is recognized where you intend to visit. 2.  Bring enough of your prescription medication to last the duration of your trip. During my trip to China I needed Benadryl for a severe allergic reaction and could not locate it anywhere. Luckily a Western-trained doctor at the Hong Kong airport was kind enough to help me obtain it. 3.  If you are carrying your prescriptions a letter from you doctor concerning your need for them may prove helpful in some foreign lands. 4.  If you are planning on traveling to a third world country or anywhere outside of North American and Northern Europe, I suggest you contact the South Shore Hospital and ask their Travel Clinic to review with you what shots or medicines you may need prior to your trip. Many places in the world are plagued by malaria, yellow fever, hepatitis etc., so you must take extra precautions. 5. Lastly, make sure your passport is up to date. Most of all have a good time. Remember, life is an accumulation of memories, make as many as you can.

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