Nobody likes to face the prospect that they may one day become unable to handle their own affairs, but with people living longer than ever before, many people are simply outliving the ability to care for themselves. Without proper planning, that care will fall on the shoulders of family members, who may not be equipped to care for their loved one properly. They may, for instance, be forced to obtain a court order, with costly annual reporting to the court, to do something as simple as pay their loved one’s bills. With proper planning, this burden can be significantly reduced. This blog entry will discuss the most basic of planning considerations, including pre-paid funerals, powers of attorney, long term care insurance, and healthcare documents.