The short answer to this question is, “It depends.” Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other illnesses that cause memory loss often take their time affecting a person. In the early stages, a person might have the capacity to sign contracts, drive, and have very little memory loss and other effects of the disease. As long as your loved one is deemed mentally competent under the law, he or she can sign legal documents.
Creating an Estate Plan
No matter what age you are, you should have an estate plan in place. Even in your younger years, an accident or an unexpected sudden illness could incapacitate you. Without an estate plan, the courts will assign someone to handle your affairs, and it might not be the person you would want.
Creating an estate plan, including powers of attorney for finances and an advanced directive medical, allow you to name the person or persons to handle your affairs and make medical decisions for you. If you become incapacitated, you cannot sign a will or create a trust, which may lead to a more complicated probate process should your illness cause your death as well as a more complications during your lifetime.
Noticing Signs of Dementia
If you notice a loved one is showing signs of dementia, or his or her doctor diagnoses your loved one with early dementia, you should contact an estate planning attorney as soon as possible. It is important to plan before the disease advances to a point that you or your loved one lacks capacity to sign legal documents, including your estate planning documents.
In Georgia, you can sign a Will and other estate planning documents if you can understand the nature and extent of your property, you remember your relatives, you can tell someone who should inherit your property, you understand the documents included in your estate plan and how they relate to one another, and you know what you are signing.
Contact an Estate Planning Attorney
Regardless of age, or if you have been recently diagnosed with dementia, contact our Georgia estate planning attorneys at Grissom Law, LLC to create an estate plan to protect your assets and assign someone to make medical decisions for you when you cannot.
Disclaimer
This Blog/Web Site is made available for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide legal advice. By using this blog site you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and Grissom Law, LLC.