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Planning ahead

When people think about the future they generally take it for granted that they will be able to make their own decisions. Many people focus on planning ahead for their financial and business affairs on their death through a will but do not consider what will happen if they find themselves unable to make day to day decisions in other areas due to illness or accident.

If you are unable to make your own decisions because of a temporary or permanent loss of capacity, you cannot always be sure that informal support networks or people important to you will be able to make significant decisions on your behalf.

Talking to important people in your life about what you want is helpful but may not be enough in situations where there is conflict or dispute about what should be decided in your best interests.

There are legal tools that let you choose who you want to have the authority to make decisions across all areas of your life if you are unable to make these decisions for yourself

Planning Ahead Tools

The Planning Ahead Tools website, funded by the NSW Government, contains information on all aspects of planning ahead. It has comprehensive information on Wills, Powers of Attorney, Enduring Guardianship and Advance Care Planning, to the site. Planning Ahead Tools offers tailored information for health professionals, consumers and legal professionals. The website also includes interactive tools and links to relevant publications and useful resources.