Family & Personal
Living Will
An advance directive that specifies your wishes regarding medical treatment and life-sustaining measures if you become unable to communicate.
Overview
An advance directive that specifies your wishes regarding medical treatment and life-sustaining measures if you become unable to communicate.
- Multi-Jurisdiction Support
- Draft in Minutes
- AI-Assisted Drafting
Who Needs This Document?
Adults of all ages wanting to document healthcare preferences, individuals with serious medical conditions, and anyone planning ahead for medical emergencies.
When Do You Need This?
Should be created while you are still healthy and able to make decisions. Important to have before any major surgery or when diagnosed with a serious medical condition.
Key Provisions
A well-drafted document should include the following essential provisions:
- Specific medical treatments you do or do not want
- Life-sustaining treatment preferences (ventilation, feeding, resuscitation)
- Designation of healthcare proxy or agent
Frequently Asked Questions
- How is a living will different from a healthcare power of attorney?
- A living will states the person's own wishes about specific medical treatments directly on paper, while a healthcare power of attorney appoints another person to make those decisions on their behalf in real time. Many people execute both together, since a living will can't anticipate every possible medical scenario, and a named healthcare agent can interpret intent in situations the document didn't foresee.
- What kinds of medical decisions does a living will typically address?
- Common topics include the use of mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, resuscitation efforts, and other life-sustaining treatments in situations of terminal illness or permanent unconsciousness. It generally doesn't cover routine medical care, only the specific end-of-life scenarios the person wants addressed in advance.
- When does a living will actually come into effect?
- It becomes operative only once the person is medically unable to communicate their own treatment decisions, typically confirmed by attending physicians rather than by a family member's judgment alone. Until that point, the person retains full authority to make their own medical decisions, and the living will has no bearing on treatment they're still capable of directing themselves.
Related Documents
- Power of AttorneyAuthorizes another person to act on your behalf in legal, financial, or medical matters, either broadly or for specific purposes.
- Last Will and TestamentA legal document that expresses a person's wishes regarding the distribution of their assets and the care of dependents after death.
- Trust AgreementCreates a fiduciary arrangement where a trustee holds and manages assets on behalf of beneficiaries according to specified terms.