Why Draft a Living Will?

When it comes to estate planning, almost everyone knows what a will is. Most people, however, aren’t really familiar with a living will. A living will is a fairly simple document that lays out your wishes for what should happen should you become incapacitated. In essence, what a normal will does when you’re deceased, a living will does while you’re still alive but unable to convey your wishes.

There are many reasons why a living will is a good document to have in place. Not only does it help you, but it can also be very beneficial for your loved ones. Read on to learn about some of the most important reasons why you should draft a living will.

Choosing a Representative

You can identify who you want to make decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated. While you can also do this using other documents well ahead of time, including this information in a living will is a good way to keep your choices private until it is needed. This can help to avoid family tension to the extent possible.

Very Specific Language

You can include very specific language when writing a living will, and it can be customized to your situation. Many people will start out with a more general living will, but then update it as needed. For example, if you are diagnosed with a terminal form of cancer, you can update your living will to include the exact types of treatment you want to receive should you become unable to make that decision on your behalf. You can also include a ‘do not resuscitate’ directive in this document or another document should you desire.

Remove the Burden from Loved Ones

It can be excruciating for a loved one to have to make serious medical decisions on behalf of another. If, for example, they choose to go forward with a risky surgery and you don’t survive, they could feel very guilty for years to come. Having a living will in place, however, will ensure the decisions are made by you so nobody has to feel responsible should something go wrong.

A Safer Option

A living will is often considered a safer option than certain other legal documents because you can include both specific instructions, and name someone to act on your behalf. This means you can specify what types of treatments you want in different situations, while also naming someone to step in should an unpredictable situation arise. With this option, you’ll be able to cover all possibilities.

We’re Here to Help

If you would like to draft a living will, please contact ProActive Legal Care to go over all your options in Florida. We can set up an appointment for you to come in and go through all the paperwork so you can have your living will in place right away. We can also help you to update existing living wills to ensure they reflect your current wishes.

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