Choose Who Makes Decisions for You — Before a Court Does
If an illness or injury leaves you unable to manage your money or make medical decisions, someone has to step in. Without a power of attorney and a patient advocate designation, your family may have to ask the Genesee County Probate Court to appoint a guardian or conservator. These two documents let you choose who acts for you, and what they can and can't do, while you're still able to decide. At CF Legal, our power of attorney lawyers in Flint help Genesee County families put both in place.
If you've been meaning to do this for years, or you're suddenly managing a parent's affairs and the bank won't talk to you, you're not alone. Most people who come to us have one of two concerns: they're worried about what happens to their family if they become incapacitated, or they need authority for a loved one right now and aren't sure what's still possible. Both are legitimate concerns, and both have clear answers.
What Is a Power of Attorney, and What Is a Patient Advocate?
These are two documents with two different jobs. A power of attorney lets you name an agent to handle financial matters, such as paying bills, managing accounts, filing taxes, and dealing with property. A patient advocate designation lets you name someone to make medical decisions for you if you can't make them yourself. It is Michigan's version of a health care power of attorney. Most people need both, and both should name people you trust completely.
Why These Documents Matter in Michigan
Without them, Michigan gives your family fewer options than most people expect.
Without a Power of Attorney
Banks and other institutions generally won't let a spouse or adult child manage your accounts without legal authority. A joint account solves only part of the problem and creates risks of its own. If no one has authority, your family may need a conservatorship through the probate court, which is public, slower, and costlier than a document you sign today.
Without a Patient Advocate Designation
Michigan has no general statute that automatically gives a family member authority over an adult's medical decisions. Hospitals often turn to family in practice, but a disagreement or a complex decision can send the family to court for a guardianship. A patient advocate designation names your choice in advance and puts your wishes in writing.
What a Complete Power of Attorney and Patient Advocate Plan Includes
Transferring or hiding assets before filing, which can create legal issues.
This is paragraph text. Click it or hit the Manage Text button to change the font, color, size, format, and more. To set up site-wide paragraph and title styles, go to Site Theme.
Financial Power of Attorney
Your agent can handle banking, bills, taxes, property, and benefits. We draft the document to be durable, so it keeps working if you become incapacitated, and tailor its scope to your situation. It can take effect immediately or only when you can no longer act, and you can limit what your agent is allowed to do.
Patient Advocate Designation
You name a patient advocate and backups to speak for you on medical matters. Michigan generally requires the document to be signed, witnessed by qualified adults, and accepted in writing by your advocate before they act. The advocate's authority typically begins only when physicians determine you can't take part in your own decisions.
Your Medical Wishes
We help you put your wishes about life support, comfort care, and end-of-life treatment into clear language. In Michigan, decisions that could end a life require specific authority in the document, so the wording matters. Clear instructions also relieve your family of guessing what you would have wanted.
Powers for Planning
An agent may not be able to make gifts, fund a trust, or carry out Medicaid planning unless the document expressly says so. If your estate plan includes trusts or long-term care planning, we build that authority in, so your agent can finish the plan if you can't.
Choosing Your Agent and Backups
An agent has a legal duty to act in your interest, so the choice matters. Many people name a spouse or adult child, with a backup in case that person can't serve. We help you weigh who is trustworthy and organized, and whether to name one agent or several.
Keeping Your Documents Current
These documents should be reviewed after a divorce, a death, a move, or a change in health. An ex-spouse or a deceased person still named as agent is a common and avoidable problem. We help you update documents, give copies to the right people, and replace outdated ones.
Why Families in Genesee County Work With CF Legal
CF Legal has served families in Flint, Grand Blanc, Davison, Fenton, and the surrounding communities for over 30 years. Craig Fiederlein has handled estate planning, probate, and guardianship proceedings across Genesee County throughout his career, so he has seen what happens to families when these documents aren't in place. That experience shapes how we draft them. We're a multi-attorney firm with offices in Flint and Grand Blanc. Our phones are answered directly, and we return calls within 24 hours.
Estate Planning Workshops in Grand Blanc
If you'd like to learn more before scheduling a one-on-one consultation, CF Legal hosts monthly estate planning workshops at the Grand Blanc Elks Club. These sessions cover wills, trusts, Medicaid planning, and what happens when someone dies without a plan in place, in plain language and without pressure. Seating is limited.
Local Court Familiarity
Legal outcomes can depend on local processes; working with someone familiar with Will County courts helps avoid unnecessary delays.
Frequently Asked Questions About Power of Attorney in Michigan
Do I need both a power of attorney and a patient advocate designation?
Most people do, because they cover different decisions. A power of attorney handles money and property. A patient advocate designation handles medical care. Having only one leaves a gap: a family may be able to manage your accounts but not speak for you at the hospital, or the reverse. We usually prepare both together and coordinate them with your will or trust.What is a patient advocate in Michigan, and when does their authority begin?
A patient advocate is the person you name to make medical decisions if you can't make them yourself. Their authority generally begins only after your attending physician and another physician or licensed psychologist determine you are unable to participate in treatment decisions. Your advocate must accept the role in writing, and their authority is limited by the instructions you leave.Can I get a power of attorney for a parent who has dementia?
Your parent must have the capacity to understand and sign the document. Early dementia doesn't always rule that out, and capacity is judged at the time of signing, so acting sooner helps. If your parent has already lost capacity, a power of attorney can't be signed, and a guardianship or conservatorship through the probate court may be the only option.Does a power of attorney continue after death?
No. An agent's authority ends when you die. After death, the person named in your will or trust, or a personal representative appointed by the probate court, takes over. This is why a power of attorney works alongside your will or trust rather than replacing it, and why we coordinate the documents so there is no gap between them.When does a power of attorney take effect, and can I cancel it?
You decide. A power of attorney can take effect as soon as you sign it, or only when you become incapacitated. As long as you have capacity, you can change or revoke it. If you do, notify your agent and the banks or others who have a copy, and put the revocation in writing so the old document isn't used by mistake.