Now, for those who haven't yet had a chance to listen to that episode, could you explain what power of attorney is and why it's important, particularly in situations like this one?

Right.

So there's the financial power of attorney and a healthcare power of attorney.

And these are very important because they name individuals who will make financial and medical decisions on one's behalf if the person becomes incapacitated.

And these are particularly important for someone with no blood relatives, no next of kin, who would typically... be the ones that would help provide direction on the person's behalf.

So these are important because he doesn't have that person who might step in and speak to the doctor and speak to the nurses and speak to the financial institutions.

Another key document that he would want to have in place as well is called an advanced healthcare directive.

What are the key takeaways you'd like to share with our listeners about estate planning in these kinds of situations?

Is this a safe assumption?

Well, a lot can change over the years, especially considering she's only 36 years old.

So that's potentially a 40 or 50 or 60 year time horizon.

It's a long time.

No one knows exactly what inflation is going to do over time or how tax laws and tax rates might change.

Another is the cost of health insurance.

She's not going to have coverage if she retires from work.

What are some key takeaways you'd like to share with our listeners?