Creating a Living Will | EstatePlanningLawFirms.com

Life consists of various activities and events that take place each day for people and some of these items can end in an untimely accident, injury, illness, or death. In the event that you become ill, injured, or pass away suddenly a living will can make the situation easier to deal with for your relatives. Many people across the country have a living will in place in the event that they become incapacitated and cannot make decisions on their own because of an injury or an illness. A living will allows a person to still have the power to decide what happens to them should they suffer an incapacitating illness or injury. If this does happen, the living will specifically details the person’s wishes for a given situation.

When a Living Will should be Created

Since life is unpredictable, it is difficult to tell someone when would be the best time to create a living will. Sometimes it is easier to determine a time than others are. For instance, if a person has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease or another debilitating disease then they should consider creating a living will in the event of their health deteriorating quickly. More often than not, a person will know the right time to create a living will because they just know it is time.

What is a Living Will?

A living will is a list of instructions that detail what type of medical treatment you will receive and when the treatment should stop should you become incapacitated and cannot communicate your wishes freely. Many people request to be taken off life support after a certain period in their living will. When creating a living will one should discuss the situation with their family members and their doctor as well. By discussing the matter in advance the person’s relatives will not be in as much shock should something happen to the testator and the doctor will know the wishes of the testator ahead of time.

How to Create a Living Will

If you are considering creating a living will then the following should answer a number of questions about the process. A living will can be created by a legal professional or by oneself. Before creating the living will, you should research the laws regarding living wills in your state. Discuss the wishes you are placing in the will with your loved ones and ask them to honor your wishes should the need arise. The document must be signed, notarized, and witnessed for it to be considered a legal document. Anyone named in your living will must have a legal copy of the will, not just a copy, for your wishes to be carried out.

Obtaining Legal Help

If you or a loved one is considering creating a living will, contact an attorney that practices in the area of law dealing with wills for expert legal counsel regarding your situation. An attorney will be able to answer questions about how to create a living will and what it takes to legalize the document.

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