All human beings experience various vulnerabilities and may not be certain of the future; it is our responsibility to include our mortality and vulnerability in our plans. A professional will is a document containing plans that we would wish executed in the event of sudden death, it assists in accomplishing unfinished business either in personal life or in our practice. It is essential to come up with a will as early as possible for the time of demise is not defined. In coming up with a will the following norms should be followed to create a will that satisfies its intended agenda.
The person to take charge must be identified at the time of your death, this is a person who can take the required steps in arrangements, handle all arising matters with sensitivity and effectiveness. The person should be able to carry out the assignment to the last detail and be in a position to address the clients. One should also have a back up designee to take charge since the person chosen may be unreachable at the right moment due to various uncertainties.
Another factor to consider is coordinated planning this gives a clear outline on what you need done and information that will be required by the designee. You should not leave out any information that may seem obvious or common knowledge rather the therapist is to give detailed information. In the planning process the designee should also be acquainted with the people they will be required to work with such as your attorney, accountant, secretary and so forth. Sharing of contact information is also done under planning. Designee gains access to material and records and gets to know the people to work with.
You should as well give the key to your office for easy access in times of emergency in the event that the security system requires a code you should take measures to ensure you specify them and instructions as to where the system is located.
It is important also mention where your schedule can be found and provide the necessary instruction such as passwords name of relevant files and backup if any.
Colleague notification answers the question of who is to be notified addressing those involved in the group and clinicians who provide constant services, it also ensures no important colleague is left out for immediate notification.
Professional liability coverage gives useful information of the company that offers liability coverage, contact information, policy number and entails that the company be notified immediately on incapacitation or death. Contact information of the attorney whom the therapist consults should be provided for practice issues.
Provision of billing records, procedures and instructions should be allocated to the person designated to take charge the person is also to be provided with information as to who prepares and handles the bills and to know tackling of pending bills. Expenses to cater for how the executor will be compensated and all business related matters are to be included and mode of payment clarified.
The personal will and professional will should be compared to ensure no conflicts arise such as compensation of the executor. Legal review is important in authentication of the professional will. Copies of the will are then handed to responsible parties a copy to the executors and a second to the attorney. With changing times the copy of the will is subject to review and update such as outdated contacts.
Conclusion
Preparation of a professional may appear a cumbersome task, requires many formalities yet one should not forego the process many disputes are curbed with a concise will that helps a person’s wishes to be realized despite incapacitation or demise. No one is immortal or invulnerable and at some point we all need to come up with a will, the objective of this research was achieved as a lot was learnt and knowledge can be passed over.
Works cited
Pope, Kenneth S., ethics in psychotherapy and counseling: a practical guide, 4th edition: 2011 retrieved from
http://kspope.com/ethics/ethics.php#publication_information viewed on 2nd December 2013
Graham, Karen A., the importance of a will: Wilmington Trust corporations, 2013
Retrieved from
http://www.wilmingtontrust.com/wtcom/index.jsp?section=LocATM
Viewed on 2nd December 2013
Steiner, Ann, The therapist’s Professional will: South Africa journal, 2013 retrieved from http://psychotherapytools.com/profwill_what.html viewed on 2nd December 2013
