3 Things To Know About Living Wills

Law Blog

A living will is a tool people use when planning their estates, yet it is something many people do not understand. If you are interested in planning your estate and have not considered creating a living will, you may want to learn more about what it is. Having a living will is essential, and here are several things you should know about living wills.

What a Living Will Is Not

The first thing to know is what a living will is not. Many people confuse living wills with last wills. These two items are both tools used in planning an estate, but they are not the same. A last will is a document you create to name your assets and beneficiaries. Your last will describes what happens to your things when you die. A living will is not the same thing.

The Purpose of a Living Will

Now that you understand what a living will is not, you can learn what it is. The purpose of a living will is to give you a chance to state your medical wishes and desires. You state these things on your living will so your family and doctors know what to do if you become incapacitated.

For example, you can state whether or not you wish to remain on life support if you reach that point in life. If you do not want your family to keep you on life support, you can indicate this on your living will. You can also indicate if you do want to remain on life support. If you reach a point where you are on life support, you would not be able to make this decision for yourself. Creating a plan ahead of time, though, allows you to state your wishes if the event ever occurs.

How to Create One

You can easily create a living will by meeting with a lawyer that offers estate planning services. The lawyer will ask you a series of questions relating to your medical wishes. From the answers you provide, the attorney will create a living will for you. The living will that he or she creates becomes a legal tool that your family and doctors must follow if you reach a point where you cannot decide for yourself.

If you have questions about this or you need to create a living will, contact a resource like the Wright Law Offices, PLLC today to learn more about the process.

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11 May 2020

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