Professional
associations have long encouraged their members to draw up a
professional will. But so far, clinicians aren’t paying much
attention.
Recently, we spoke with Stephen Ragusea, a
clinician in Key West, FL, who has been promoting the idea in
seminars. He says a survey of members of the American
Psychological Association (APA) showed that only about 1% had a
professional will.
He adds that the idea meets resistance among the
therapists he works with--even when he offers a free template they
can fill in themselves.
Why aren’t clinicians covering their bases? One
reason is that like everyone else, therapists prefer not to
think about early death or incapacity. They assume they’ll
retire before it becomes an issue, giving them the opportunity to
wind the practice down in an orderly manner.
"But winding down a practice in a planned manner
is different from covering your practice in the event of death or
incapacitation," Ragusea says. "It’s irresponsible not to provide
for what happens after your death."
Beyond that, your personal estate could be at risk
if you have no mechanism for tying up professional loose ends.
Even if your practice is incorporated, he says, you may not be
completely protected.
It’s not hard to get started, Ragusea adds. He’s
provided a basic, three-page outline for a professional
will--which you can read and print out at www.psyfin.com. (Click
on "Reader Services.")
He notes that it’s written "in plain language,
deliberately avoiding the arcane jargon sometimes used in legal
documents." But of course, you should run the finished document
past your own attorney.
Here are three other ideas Ragusea says you should
keep in mind when it comes to a practice will:
