Living wills and healthcare proxies. According to O'Sullivan, people should also plan for the period just before death. That means drafting a living will that states how they want to be cared for if they are unable to respond. This will should also appoint a person to make healthcare decisions should you become incapacitated.
"People should be appointing someone to act of their behalf if they became disabled," O'Sullivan says. "Even if they're married, the laws of states are different and in many, the spouse is not legally allowed to make [healthcare] decisions."
He says it's also important for young people to explicitly name the person who will care for them should they become disabled.
"Disability, especially for younger people, is a very high risk compared to death," he says. "A lot of individuals think the spouse automatically has the authority to make decisions on a disabled husband or wife's behalf. In many states, that's just not the case."
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