April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day.

Why today? It falls right after Tax Day – a nod to Benjamin Franklin’s famous reminder that the only certainties in life are death and taxes.

The reason may be a little lighthearted. The topic is not.

In fact, your Health Care Power of Attorney may be the most important document in your entire estate plan.

In Wisconsin, if you’re over 18 and do not have one, no one – not even a spouse or parent – automatically has the legal authority to make medical decisions on your behalf, including consenting to or refusing treatment.

This document allows you to:

• Appoint someone you trust to act as your agent
• Provide clear, legally enforceable instructions about the care you do and do not want
• Reduce confusion and conflict during emotionally difficult moments

And those moments can be complicated. Medical advances can prolong life in ways that raise difficult questions about quality of life, personal dignity, and long-term care.

In Wisconsin, unless you state otherwise, the default is to preserve life at all costs.

But that may not always align with your wishes.

When might “preserving life at all costs” not reflect your wishes? In our experience, individuals with advanced dementia may lose the ability to swallow, requiring a feeding tube. If they no do not understand what the tube is for, they may try to remove it, sometimes causing significant harm. In certain cases, this led to the use of restraints to continue the artificial nutrition. These are incredibly difficult situations for families. A Health Care Power of Attorney gives your chosen agent the authority to make thoughtful, compassionate decisions based on your preferences.

Talk with your loved ones—especially the person you name as your agent—so they understand your values and can carry out your wishes with confidence.

If you don’t have a Health Care Power of Attorney in place, now is the time.