Personal Property:
Things like cash, stocks, jewelry, clothing, furniture, or cars.
POD – Pay on Death:
In California, you can add a “payable-on-death” (POD) designation to bank accounts such as savings accounts or certificates of deposit. You still control all the money in the account — your POD beneficiary has no rights to the money, and you can spend it all if you want. At your death, the beneficiary can claim the money directly from the bank without probate court proceedings.
Power of Attorney:
A document that gives another person legal authority to act on your behalf
Probate:
The court process for distributing a dead person’s assets, paying debts owed by the dead person, and settling the financial affairs of people when they die. The probate process includes things such as: proving the authenticity of the deceased person’s will, appointing someone to handle the deceased person’s affairs, identifying and inventorying the deceased person’s property, etc.
Principal:
When creating a power of attorney or other legal documents, the person who appoints an attorney-in-fact or agent to act on his or her behalf.
Prolong/Not prolong life:
Any medical procedure, treatment, or intervention that uses mechanical or other artificial means to sustain vital function. It does not mean to expect recovery from a terminal condition. To not want your life sustained through procedures like the ones mentions is to not prolong the life