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I was going through my documents over the weekend and could not locate my living will or power of attorney. I had these documents drawn up years ago when I was living in New York. So now I have two questions. If I can find them, will they still be valid? And if I can't find them will it cost me a lot to get new ones?

Replace old POA and living will

Regardless of whether you find the POA and living will, you need to update your estate planning documents.    Massachusetts law recognizes healthcare proxies.  While your living will from New York might be recognized in Massachusetts, doctors and courts are much more familiar with healthcare proxies.  Similarly, a power of attorney that is more than a few years old can create problems for your named agent if she ever has to use the document for your benefit.  So, I would also update your power of attorney.

As for the cost, it's hard to say.  Many estate planning attorneys include a POA and healthcare proxy at no additional cost when you update or create an estate plan.  However, neither document should take more than an hour of the attorney's time.  Good luck.

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