1. HIPAA Release:

HIPAA is governmentalese for the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act." In basic English, it regulates how health information is to be guarded or released by healthcare providers. If you want someone to have access to your health information you must sign a release of information document. Every doctor and every hospital has HIPAA release documents you can sign that gives them permission to share information with the person designated. Ask for a blank form, fill it out, and have them file it with your other information. That's all there is to that.

2. Power of Attorney For Health Care:

If you are too sick to make medical decisions for yourself you'll want someone you trust to do this for you. The POA for Health Care is the document that specifies who this person is, and what limits, if any, you have placed on their decision-making authority. You should be able to find a fill-in-the blank POA for Health Care at any hospital and at most doctors' offices.

3. Advanced Directive (Living Will):

The Advanced Directive is the document that specifies what kind of treatment you do, or you do not, want if you are incurably ill with no hope of recovery. This, too, is a blank document you can find at every hospital and most doctors' offices.

4. Durable Power of Attorney:

This is the document that gives the person(s) you designate the authority to manage your finances and business affairs. Because it can involve complex financial decisions the Durable Power of Attorney should be drawn up by a lawyer. I would not trust a fill-in-the-blank form.

5. Last Will and Testament:

This is your Will, which distributes your possessions after you are gone. If you should die without one, the court will decide who gets what. This document should also be written by a lawyer if you want to be sure your instructions will be implemented.

If you haven't done these yet, give your family a New Year's gift and get them done in January. You may spare them a boatload of grief and expense some day if you do.

And remember, everyone over the age of 18 needs these documents...they're not just for "old folks."