Living Wills

What is a Living Will?

A living will is a legal document that expresses your wishes about medical treatment in the event that you become unable to make your own decisions. A living will is also known as an advance directive for health care.

What Should Be Included in a Living Will?

A living will should include your wishes about the following:

• Whether you want to be kept alive with artificial life support, such as a ventilator or feeding tube.

• Whether you want to be given pain medication, even if it might shorten your life.

• Whether you want to be an organ donor.

How to Get a Living Will

You can get a living will from an attorney. The cost of a living will will vary depending on the complexity of the document and the fees charged by the attorney.

Why is a Living Will Important?

A living will is important because it allows you to make your wishes known about your medical care in advance. This can help to ensure that your wishes are carried out if you become unable to make them yourself.

What Happens If I Don't Have a Living Will?

If you don't have a living will, and you become unable to make your own decisions about your medical care, your doctors will make those decisions for you. This may not be in line with your wishes.

Conclusion

A living will is an important estate planning tool that can help ensure that your wishes are carried out if you become unable to make them yourself. If you have not already done so, I encourage you to get a living will.

Here are some additional benefits of having a living will:

• It can help to relieve stress and anxiety for your loved ones.

• It can help to avoid conflict between your loved ones and your doctors.

• It can help to ensure that your wishes are carried out in a timely manner.

If you are considering getting a living will, I encourage you to speak with an attorney to discuss your specific needs.