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Comprehensive Estate Planning Guide for National City Residents
Planning for the future is an essential step to ensure your assets and loved ones are protected. In National City, California, estate planning covers the preparation of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives tailored to local law and your personal circumstances. Effective planning helps manage property during your lifetime and directs distribution after your death in accordance with your wishes. Whether your goals include avoiding probate, preserving family harmony, or organizing business succession, a thoughtful estate plan can deliver clarity and peace of mind. This guide explains core options and how LA Estate Plans assists residents of National City.
A clear estate plan does more than allocate assets. It names trusted individuals to make financial and medical decisions if you cannot, provides guardianship directions for minor children, and addresses how property is managed and distributed. In National City, understanding California rules and timing considerations helps prevent costly delays and unwanted outcomes. LA Estate Plans focuses on practical solutions that align with your family dynamics and long term goals. Throughout the planning process, clear communication and careful document drafting reduce the chance of disputes and create a durable roadmap for your wishes to be carried out as intended.
Why Estate Planning Matters for National City Families
Estate planning provides control and direction over how your property, finances, and healthcare choices are handled now and after you pass away. For National City residents, a thoughtful plan can limit court involvement, streamline the transfer of assets, and reduce confusion for family members during difficult times. It also allows you to appoint agents to manage affairs in case of incapacity and to provide for specific needs such as minor children or beneficiaries with special circumstances. By documenting your wishes clearly, you minimize disputes and help ensure your intentions are followed as closely as possible under California law.
About LA Estate Plans and Our Approach in National City
LA Estate Plans serves National City and neighboring communities with a focus on wills, trusts, and probate matters under California law. Our team works directly with clients to identify priorities, organize assets, and prepare the documents that carry out personal intentions. We prioritize clear explanations, careful document drafting, and proactive planning to make the process accessible. Whether you are beginning a plan, updating existing documents, or addressing estate administration, our approach emphasizes practical results, responsive communication, and solutions that reflect each client’s family situation and financial circumstances.
Understanding Estate Planning Options in National City
Estate planning encompasses a range of tools that work together to protect assets and ensure decisions align with your wishes. In National City those tools typically include wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives. Each tool serves a different purpose: some control distribution after death, others maintain control during incapacity, and some reduce the need for court involvement. Evaluating these options requires a close look at property ownership, family structure, tax considerations, and long term goals. The right combination provides flexibility and security for you and your beneficiaries.
Successful planning depends on clear documentation, accurate asset inventories, and periodic reviews to reflect life changes. Common triggers for updating a plan in National City include marriage, divorce, births, significant changes in assets, and retirement. Understanding how California law treats different assets, such as community property and jointly held accounts, helps determine the best structure for transfers. Taking time to gather important documents and discuss preferences with appointed agents lays the groundwork for a plan that functions effectively when it is needed most, reducing uncertainty and administrative burdens for family members.
What Estate Planning Means and What It Covers
Estate planning is the process of preparing documents and arrangements that determine how your assets and personal decisions will be managed during incapacity and distributed after death. This process typically includes preparing a will to direct final distributions, creating trusts to manage or avoid probate for certain assets, appointing powers of attorney for financial matters, and establishing advance healthcare directives for medical decisions. The goal is to ensure your preferences are honored, to provide for loved ones, and to reduce unnecessary legal hurdles and delays. Properly drafted documents also help clarify responsibilities for those left to carry out your wishes.
Key Elements and Typical Processes in an Estate Plan
Core estate planning elements work together to form a comprehensive arrangement that protects your interests. A will provides instructions for asset distribution and guardianship decisions. Trusts offer mechanisms to manage property during life and after death, often helping avoid probate and providing control over timing of distributions. Powers of attorney empower trusted individuals to handle financial matters if you are unable, while advance healthcare directives record medical preferences and designate a healthcare agent. The planning process commonly involves information gathering, drafting documents, review and revision, proper execution, and recommendations for safe storage and updating.
Estate Planning Terms Every National City Resident Should Know
Familiarity with common estate planning terms makes decision making easier and ensures documents reflect your intentions. Understanding definitions and functions of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and advance directives helps you choose the right tools for your circumstances. This section explains these terms in plain language so you can approach planning with confidence. If questions arise about how a term applies to your situation in National City or how California law affects a particular arrangement, seeking guidance will help clarify options and prevent misunderstandings during implementation.
Will
A will is a legal document that sets out how you want property distributed after your death and can name guardians for minor children. In California, a valid will must meet specific formalities to be effective, and it typically goes through probate to transfer assets that are solely in your name. Wills can also include instructions for personal wishes and may designate an executor to manage the administration process. While a will provides an important foundation, combining it with other planning tools can reduce probate time and better protect assets for beneficiaries.
Trust
A trust is an arrangement where one party holds property for the benefit of another under terms you set. Trusts can be created during life to manage assets, to provide for incapacity, and to transfer property after death without the need for probate in many cases. There are different types of trusts for different purposes, such as revocable living trusts that allow flexibility and control during your lifetime, and irrevocable arrangements that can serve asset protection or tax planning goals. Choosing the right trust depends on your objectives, asset types, and family needs.
Power of Attorney
A power of attorney is a legal document that appoints someone to act on your behalf for financial or legal matters if you cannot act yourself. Durable powers of attorney remain effective if you become incapacitated, allowing appointed agents to handle banking, property management, and bill payments. Selecting an agent involves trust and clear communication so that they understand your preferences and limitations. Properly drafted powers of attorney include explicit authority and, where appropriate, guidance about handling specific assets to reduce the potential for disputes or mismanagement.
Advance Healthcare Directive
An advance healthcare directive documents your medical treatment preferences and names a person to make healthcare decisions if you are unable to communicate. This document can address life-sustaining treatment choices, pain management, and other end of life preferences. It helps medical providers and family members follow your wishes and reduces uncertainty during stressful moments. In California, having an advance directive along with a designated healthcare agent ensures that medical decisions are handled in a way that aligns with your values and that someone you trust speaks on your behalf when needed.
Comparing Limited and Comprehensive Estate Planning Approaches
Estate planning options range from simple wills to comprehensive plans that combine trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. A limited plan may be suitable for straightforward estates with few assets and uncomplicated family situations, while a comprehensive approach addresses more complex property ownership, business interests, or family dynamics. Factors such as the value and type of assets, goals for privacy, concerns about probate, and the need to control distribution timing influence the choice. Evaluating tradeoffs helps determine the appropriate level of planning to meet your needs and objectives.
When a Limited Estate Plan May Be an Appropriate Choice:
Simple Asset Distribution
A limited estate plan can be suitable when an individual owns a small number of assets, has straightforward family relationships, and does not require complex distribution rules. In such situations, a properly executed will combined with basic powers of attorney and an advance healthcare directive often provides adequate protection and clarity. For many National City residents whose assets are modest and ownership is uncomplicated, a limited approach avoids unnecessary complexity while ensuring key instructions are documented and someone is designated to manage affairs if incapacity occurs.
Minimal Probate Concerns
When probate exposure is likely to be low, and the costs and delay of court administration would be minimal, a limited plan may be an efficient option. Small estates or accounts with designated beneficiaries may transfer outside probate, making a simple will sufficient to address remaining matters. For individuals in National City who wish to avoid the time and expense of more extensive planning but still want to document their wishes and appoint decision makers, a limited approach can strike a balance between protection and simplicity.
Why a Comprehensive Estate Planning Approach Is Often Recommended:
Protecting Complex Assets
Comprehensive estate planning becomes important when assets include multiple properties, business interests, retirement accounts, or investments that require coordinated management. Detailed planning can establish trust structures, beneficiary designations, and ownership arrangements that simplify transitions and preserve value. In National City, where real estate or business holdings may be involved, taking a thorough approach helps prevent unintended tax consequences, minimize delays, and provide clear instructions for managing and distributing assets in the most effective manner possible.
Addressing Family Dynamics
Complex family circumstances such as blended families, beneficiaries with special needs, or differing expectations among heirs benefit from careful planning. A comprehensive approach allows specific provisions for timing and conditions of distributions, the use of trusts for long term care or education funding, and clear appointment of fiduciaries to manage assets. By documenting intentions in detail, you reduce the risk of misunderstandings and conflicts and ensure that individual family needs are considered and accommodated under an organized plan.
Advantages of Taking a Comprehensive Estate Planning Approach
A comprehensive estate plan gives you greater control over the distribution and management of assets, helps reduce uncertainty for beneficiaries, and can streamline administration after death. By combining wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, you create a coordinated framework that addresses both incapacity and post death distribution. This approach also allows for mechanisms that provide privacy, potentially faster access to assets for beneficiaries, and clearer guidance for those tasked with carrying out your wishes, which can reduce stress and conflict during challenging times.
Comprehensive planning can also provide tax planning benefits and protection for business interests or assets that require ongoing management. Tailored provisions allow you to control timing of distributions, create safeguards for vulnerable beneficiaries, and set conditions that align with long term goals. For National City residents who want a durable plan that adapts to changing circumstances, a thorough initial plan combined with regular reviews ensures that documents remain up to date and reflective of current intentions and legal requirements.
Avoiding Probate Delays
One of the primary benefits of a comprehensive plan is the potential to avoid lengthy probate proceedings, which can be time consuming and expensive. Properly funded trusts and beneficiary designations help transfer assets more quickly to intended recipients, reducing the administrative burden on family members. By planning ahead and organizing ownership arrangements, you minimize court involvement, protect privacy, and help beneficiaries access assets when they need them. This clarity and efficiency can be particularly valuable for families navigating the emotional and practical aspects of loss.
Customizing Asset Distribution
A comprehensive approach enables precise instructions about who receives what, when, and under what conditions, allowing you to tailor distributions to unique family needs. You can set timing for inheritances, protect assets from creditors or inappropriate use, and provide for educational or health care expenses through dedicated trusts. This level of customization ensures that your intentions are honored and that beneficiaries receive support in a manner that reflects your goals and addresses potential future circumstances with thoughtful safeguards and guidance.
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Estate Planning Pro Tips for National City Residents
Start Early and Review Regularly
Begin the estate planning process as soon as you have assets or family responsibilities to protect and revisit documents after major life changes. Regular reviews help ensure beneficiary designations, account ownership, and guardianship choices remain current. Life events such as marriage, divorce, births, or business changes often require updates to maintain alignment with intentions. Taking a proactive approach reduces the need for emergency fixes and gives your appointed decision makers clear direction, which can save time and reduce stress when documents must be relied upon.
Communicate Your Wishes Clearly
Consider All Aspects of Your Estate
Include not only financial assets but also digital accounts, personal property, business interests, and healthcare preferences when developing an estate plan. Comprehensive consideration reduces the chance that something important will be overlooked and helps create a complete picture for those carrying out your instructions. Make lists of accounts, provide location of important documents, and review beneficiary designations on retirement and life insurance accounts. This level of preparation simplifies administration and helps ensure assets are handled according to your intentions.
Why You Should Consider Estate Planning in National City
Estate planning is important for anyone who wants to secure assets, designate decision makers, and provide for family members in a clear and legally effective way. For residents of National City, a tailored plan reduces the risk of intestate succession, which could leave asset distribution to default state rules rather than your personal wishes. A good plan also helps address incapacity, ensuring someone you trust can manage finances and healthcare decisions on your behalf. Taking steps now brings peace of mind and practical benefits for those you leave behind.
Beyond asset distribution, estate planning supports continuity for family and businesses by documenting succession plans and providing practical instructions. It can limit delays and avoid unnecessary court involvement, which protects estate value and privacy. Proper planning also creates an opportunity to consider charitable giving, legacy objectives, and strategies that reflect your values. For National City families, working through these issues ahead of time reduces confusion and helps ensure that wishes are honored in a way that balances legal requirements with personal goals.
Common Situations That Benefit from an Estate Plan
Certain life events commonly prompt estate planning, including marriage, the birth of children, acquisition of significant assets, or the onset of health concerns. Planning is also advisable when business interests are involved or when beneficiaries may need protected distributions. Having documents in place before an emergency or major transition reduces stress for family members and provides clear legal authority for decision makers. Regularly reviewing your plan ensures it keeps pace with life changes and remains effective for your particular circumstances.
Starting a Family
Becoming a parent often triggers the need to name guardians for minor children and to establish long term financial protections. Trust provisions can set aside resources for education and care, and naming custodians or trustees ensures funds are managed responsibly. Documenting guardianship preferences relieves courts of having to make sensitive decisions on your behalf and provides guidance to relatives. Updating beneficiary designations and creating clear instructions for parental wishes help ensure children receive the care and support you intend.
Owning Property or a Business
When real estate holdings, business interests, or multiple investment accounts are part of an estate, planning needs to address ownership structure and continuity. Trust arrangements and properly assigned ownership interests can reduce probate exposure and help preserve business value through transitions. Succession planning for a business clarifies roles and responsibilities and provides a roadmap for eventual transfer of control. Thoughtful structuring helps avoid disputes among heirs and supports a more orderly transition of valuable assets.
Health Concerns or Aging
Anticipating age related issues or health declines by putting documents in place ensures that financial and medical decisions can be made without court oversight. Powers of attorney and advance healthcare directives name trusted individuals to act on your behalf and provide clear instructions about care preferences. Planning ahead prevents uncertainty and helps family members make timely decisions based on documented wishes. Periodic updates ensure the plan stays aligned with evolving health circumstances and personal preferences.
We Are Here to Support Your Estate Planning Needs in National City
Why Choose LA Estate Plans for Estate Planning in National City
Choosing a firm to help with estate planning means selecting a partner who communicates clearly and guides you through legal requirements. LA Estate Plans works with clients in National City to create documents that are tailored to individual circumstances and consistent with California rules. We emphasize practical advice, careful drafting, and a collaborative process that prioritizes your goals. Our focus is on producing durable plans that reduce uncertainty and provide straightforward instructions for decision makers and beneficiaries.
Clients benefit from a process that starts with listening to personal priorities and ends with executed documents and practical recommendations for storage and review. Our team helps identify assets, clarify ownership, and suggest structures that match each family’s needs while keeping paperwork understandable and actionable. We also assist with beneficiary updates, trust funding guidance, and explanations of how proposed arrangements work in real scenarios, so you feel comfortable with the choices you make.
Throughout planning and document execution, timely communication and attention to detail matter. LA Estate Plans focuses on helping clients move from uncertainty to a clear plan, offering support for implementation steps such as signing, notarization, and distributing copies. We encourage periodic reviews and provide practical strategies for keeping the plan current as life circumstances evolve. This approach helps families in National City maintain continuity and comfort that their affairs are organized for the future.
Contact LA Estate Plans to Begin Your Estate Plan
Our Estate Planning Process in National City
Our process is designed to be clear, collaborative, and thorough so documents reflect your intentions and comply with California requirements. We begin by gathering information about assets and family circumstances, then discuss options and prepare draft documents tailored to your goals. The review stage allows adjustments to ensure clarity and alignment with your wishes, and we assist with proper signing and notarization to make documents legally effective. Finally, we recommend storage and regular review practices to keep your plan current and actionable.
Initial Consultation and Information Gathering
The first phase is a conversation to understand your goals, family structure, and assets. We ask targeted questions to identify key concerns such as guardianship needs, beneficiary preferences, and business succession plans. Gathering accurate details about accounts, property titles, and existing legal documents allows us to recommend appropriate planning tools. This step establishes a foundation for drafting documents that reflect your intentions and addresses potential complications early in the process.
Discussing Personal and Family Details
Understanding family relationships and personal wishes is essential for tailoring an estate plan that fits your circumstances. Conversations include naming potential agents for powers of attorney, selecting trustees and executors, and identifying guardians for minor children. We also explore how you want assets used by beneficiaries and whether protective provisions are advisable. Clear discussion at this stage reduces ambiguity and informs practical choices for your documents.
Reviewing Financial Assets and Documents
Collecting information about bank accounts, investments, real property, business interests, and existing beneficiary designations helps determine how assets should be titled and whether trust funding is required. Reviewing prior wills or documents reveals necessary updates and avoids conflicting instructions. Accurate asset review enables a coordinated plan that directs transfers efficiently and minimizes the risk of unintended outcomes during administration.
Drafting Your Estate Planning Documents
With information gathered and objectives clarified, we prepare draft documents tailored to your needs. Drafting typically includes wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives with provisions that reflect your instructions and conform to California formalities. Careful language helps reduce ambiguity and creates a clearer path for those who will implement the plan. We focus on producing documents that are practical, understandable, and designed to function as intended when relied upon.
Preparing Legal Documents
Each document is drafted to address specific goals such as asset distribution, incapacity planning, or business succession. Trust terms define how and when assets are managed and distributed, while powers of attorney grant authority for financial management when needed. Drafting includes attention to beneficiary designations and ownership forms that affect how assets pass at death, so the entire estate plan operates in a coordinated way and reflects your priorities.
Review and Revisions
After preparing drafts, we review them with you to ensure they accurately reflect your intentions and address any concerns. This collaborative review allows for revisions to language, allocation details, and appointment choices. We explain the practical implications of different provisions so you can make informed adjustments. The revision process continues until documents align with your expectations and you are comfortable with how responsibilities and distributions are organized.
Finalizing and Executing Your Estate Plan
Once you approve the final drafts, we assist with proper signing, witnessing, and notarization to make the documents legally effective under California law. We provide guidance on the number of copies, recommended notarization steps, and suggestions for safe storage. This phase ensures that documents will be recognized when relied upon and that appointed agents and fiduciaries have clear authority to act when necessary.
Executing Documents Properly
Proper execution includes meeting formal requirements for signatures, witnesses, and notarization where applicable. We guide you through these steps and explain how to distribute copies to trusted agents and keep originals in a secure location. Ensuring that execution formalities are followed reduces the risk of later challenges and helps make the plan enforceable when it is needed by your family or designated representatives.
Storing and Updating Your Plan
After documents are executed, it is important to store them safely and to review them periodically. We recommend practical storage options and advise on who should receive copies. Regular updates keep the plan aligned with life changes such as marriage, births, changes in assets, or shifts in relationships. Ongoing review ensures the plan remains effective and that appointed decision makers can carry out your wishes with the required authority and clarity.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Estate Planning in National City
Why is estate planning important?
Estate planning is important because it ensures your assets are distributed according to your wishes and that someone is authorized to manage financial and medical decisions if you become unable to act. A plan provides clarity for family members, reduces uncertainty, and helps avoid unnecessary court involvement. In National City, documenting your intentions under California law prevents intestate succession rules from determining outcomes, which might otherwise diverge from your preferences. Additionally, a plan can address guardianship for minor children and provide instructions for ongoing care or financial support. Creating an estate plan also helps organize your affairs and identify items such as beneficiary designations, account ownership, and property title issues. This organization reduces delays and administrative burdens for those who will handle your estate. With clear documents in place, your loved ones can focus on recovery and family matters instead of navigating complex legal processes. Regular reviews keep the plan current as life circumstances change so that it continues to reflect your intentions and the practical realities of your estate.
What documents are typically included in an estate plan?
A typical estate plan includes a last will and testament to specify final property distributions and guardianship for minors, a living trust to manage assets and potentially avoid probate, powers of attorney to authorize someone to handle financial matters, and an advance healthcare directive to document medical preferences. Retirement accounts and life insurance often require beneficiary designations that work alongside these documents. Each component plays a role in ensuring comprehensive coverage of both incapacity planning and post death administration. These documents work together to provide a coherent plan for your affairs. Trusts can be useful for complex ownership situations or when you want to control timing and conditions of distributions. Powers of attorney and healthcare directives give appointed agents the authority to act when necessary. Reviewing beneficiary designations and titling assets correctly helps ensure that the estate plan functions as intended and that transfers occur efficiently under California law.
When should I update my estate plan?
You should update your estate plan after major life events such as marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of children, or significant changes in financial circumstances. Changes in relationships or the death or incapacity of a named agent or beneficiary also warrant prompt review and revision. Additionally, changes in state or federal law may affect how provisions operate, so periodic checks help ensure continued effectiveness and compliance. Even without dramatic events, reviewing your plan every few years is a good practice to confirm that beneficiary designations, account ownership, and appointed decision makers still reflect your wishes. Regular updates reduce the risk of unintended outcomes and help keep documents aligned with current family dynamics and asset ownership structures, providing confidence that your intentions will be carried out when the time comes.
Can I use online forms for my estate plan?
Online forms can be a starting point for basic documents, but they may not address complex family dynamics, business interests, or specific requirements under California law. Templates often lack customization needed for detailed instructions, trust funding, or nuanced distribution provisions. Relying solely on generic forms can create ambiguities that lead to disputes or unintended administrative hurdles during probate or trust administration. If you choose to use online resources, it is important to ensure documents meet California formalities and to consider professional review to confirm they align with your goals. For straightforward situations, templates may work, but for anything beyond basic arrangements, personalized drafting and careful review reduce the likelihood of errors and ensure a plan functions as intended when relied upon.
What happens if I die without a plan?
If you die without an estate plan, state intestacy laws determine how assets are distributed, which may not match your wishes and could leave decisions about guardianship and distributions to the courts. Intestate succession rules allocate property according to a defined hierarchy of relatives, which can cause unintended results and family tension. The absence of appointed decision makers also means courts may need to intervene to manage affairs, adding time and expense. Creating a will, trusts, and other documents gives you control over distributions and appoints trusted individuals to manage your affairs. Planning ahead protects privacy by reducing court involvement, clarifies intentions for heirs, and helps ensure that assets are transferred in a way that reflects your priorities rather than default legal rules.
How does probate affect my estate?
Probate is the court supervised process of administering a deceased person’s estate, which includes validating a will, settling debts, and distributing remaining assets. In California, probate can take many months or longer, depending on the estate’s complexity and any challenges. Probate costs and delays can reduce the value passed to beneficiaries and increase emotional strain on families who must wait for distributions while administrative tasks are completed. Certain planning tools, such as living trusts and properly designated beneficiary arrangements, can reduce the scope of probate by transferring assets outside of the court process. Thoughtful structuring of ownership and beneficiary designations helps minimize probate exposure and speeds access to assets for intended recipients, easing the administrative burden on families during an already difficult time.
What is the difference between a will and a trust?
A will takes effect after death and provides instructions for the distribution of probate assets and appointment of an executor and guardians for minor children. Wills generally require probate in California to validate and implement those instructions. A trust, on the other hand, is an arrangement that holds assets for beneficiaries and can function during your lifetime and after death. A revocable living trust can help manage assets if you become incapacitated and allow transfers to beneficiaries without involving probate for trust assets. Trusts offer flexibility for controlling timing and conditions of distributions, privacy from public court records, and simplified administration for certain assets. Wills remain important for directing any assets that are not placed into a trust and for formalizing guardianship choices. Combining both tools often provides a comprehensive approach tailored to family and asset situations.
Can estate planning documents be changed?
Many estate planning documents can be updated as circumstances change. Wills can be revised or revoked, and revocable trusts are typically amendable during your lifetime to reflect new wishes or changing family situations. Powers of attorney and advance healthcare directives can also be replaced to appoint different agents or to change instructions. Keeping documents current ensures they remain aligned with your intentions and the realities of your estate and relationships. When making changes, it is important to follow proper legal formalities to avoid confusion or conflicting documents. Periodic review and careful execution of revisions prevent inadvertent gaps and help maintain a clear and effective plan. Documenting changes and sharing updates with key individuals reduces the likelihood of disputes or uncertainty when the documents are needed.
Who should I appoint as power of attorney or healthcare agent?
You should appoint someone you trust, who is reliable, organized, and able to carry out responsibilities as power of attorney or healthcare agent. Consider their proximity, willingness to serve, and ability to handle potentially sensitive decisions under stress. It is also wise to identify alternate agents in case the primary choice is unable or unwilling to act. Clear communication with appointees about your preferences and expectations helps prepare them for the role. Discussing the responsibilities and ensuring they understand your values and priorities can prevent surprises. Choose individuals who can work cooperatively with family members, keep records of actions taken, and follow legal requirements. When selecting fiduciaries, thoughtful consideration of temperament and judgment helps ensure your affairs are managed in the manner you intend.
What is an advance healthcare directive and why is it useful?
An advance healthcare directive documents your preferences for medical treatment if you are unable to communicate and designates a person to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. This document can include preferences about life sustaining treatment, pain management, and other end of life care choices. By providing clear guidance, an advance directive helps healthcare providers and family members respect your wishes and reduces uncertainty during medical crises. Having an advance directive in place also relieves family members from making decisions without knowledge of your preferences and gives your chosen healthcare agent the legal authority to act according to your wishes. Periodically reviewing and updating the directive ensures it remains consistent with your current values and medical care preferences.