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The dining room table seats eight, but your parent eats alone now. The guest rooms haven't had guests in years. The garage is a museum of hobbies: woodworking tools, holiday inflatables, boxes labeled in handwriting you barely recognize. And now, somehow, all of it needs to be sorted, distributed, sold, donated, or hauled away before moving day.
A medical power of attorney authorizes someone to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. A financial power of attorney authorizes someone to manage your money, property, and financial obligations. They are two separate legal documents, and one does not substitute for the other.
You've probably noticed something about retirement that nobody warned you about: it's not the end of being busy. It's the beginning of choosing how to be busy. The calendar is yours now. No more working around someone else's priorities. And while that kind of freedom can feel exhilarating, it also raises a fair question: what do you actually want to do with it?