Living Wills

What Is A Living Will?

A Living Will, sometimes called an Advanced Directive, is a document that states what treatment you wish or do not wish to receive in the event that you are terminally ill with no hope of recovery. The Living Will becomes operative only when your doctor certifies that you are incapable of making your own decisions  AND you are terminally ill with no hope of recovery. The Living Will essentially states that the signer does not wish to receive treatment that prolongs the process of dying once that condition is reached, and directs that treatment be limited to providing comfort and pain relief.

LIVING WILLS
living wills

What Is The Purpose Of A Living Will?

The Living Will names a Health Care Agent. The Living Will also elects whether the Health Care Agent must follow your directions or whether the Agent may substitute his or her own judgment in regard to your treatment.

The provision for how “end of life” treatment is to be handled relieves our loved one of the stress of making these important decisions for us and also reduces the likelihood of family conflict at a very stressful time in the life of a family. Of course, it also protects us from the pain of treatments which will prolong the dying process.

List of Items to Bring to Estate Planning Conference

  1. Your Social Security Number
  2. Names and Address of those you would like to act as Executors, Trustees, or Agents
  3. List of Assets (approximate value of accounts, cash, real estate, cars, companies, stocks, bonds)
  4. List of any specific gifts you may want to include in your will.
  5. Any charities you may want to include in your will
  6. Names of Guardians if you have minor children.
  7. What you would like done with your remains (if anything)
  8. Any possible beneficiaries that may be receiving state or federal benefits now or in the future.