Pinsker says incapacity documents matter most before death: a financial power of attorney, healthcare proxy and HIPAA authorization can spare families a costly court process if someone becomes unable to act.
Only 11% of people have a power of attorney in place, she said, versus 26% with a will, even though downloading the form takes 32 seconds and notarizing it can cost about $4.
Her warning comes from managing her mother’s illness, when even routine tasks became difficult because institutions had not pre-authorized the power-of-attorney paperwork and she lacked detailed knowledge of bills and accounts.
Pinsker urges families to have hard conversations early, watch for red flags such as overdue bills or unusual giving, and organize wills, trusts and beneficiary designations so children face less chaos later.