Why do you need a Living Will? Find here!
You have lived a happy, fulfilling life, and you must have a say how you wish to be treated in your final years. No one wants to think about falling ill or incapacitation, but these things do happen. While our quality of life has improved manifold over the years, some aspects are beyond our control. A Living Will is a type of advanced medical directive. Talk to an experienced estate planning attorney Cherry Hill, and they can explain how this document can be a huge component of your estate plan. Below we have stated some common reasons to have a Living Will.
Understanding Living Wills
There are different types of advanced directives that you can consider. You can have a healthcare representative – a person who works as your medical proxy – by making a durable power of attorney for healthcare. If you are ill or cannot make medical decisions on your own, the designated individual can do the same. A Living Will allows you to communicate your wishes about end-of-life treatment and medical care. If you have the document, your family members don’t have to mull over certain decisions. Keep in mind that medical decisions are often hard for the immediate family members, and you may want to make things known in advance.
What to mention in a Living Will?
You can use your Living Will to determine your representative or proxy. You can also mention if you want or do not want certain treatments. Just like other estate planning documents, you can change your Living Will when you want. Talk to an attorney to know the limitations of this tool, and make sure that you revise your Living Will after a few years, especially if there has been a change in circumstances.
Is Living Wills the same as Wills?
No. A Will is used to determine who inherits your assets after you are gone. The Will doesn’t talk about medical treatments or incapacitation. A Living Will is a tool for your personal care and medical treatments for certain contingencies, whereas a Will is for your family members. You can revise both documents as and when needed.
You cannot predict the future. However, you can prepare for it. A Living Will is a must for all adults, and it doesn’t take much to create one. Talk to an attorney to know how you can draft a Living Will and other estate planning documents that can help protect your wishes and wealth.
Click here if you want to read more interesting articles.
