Are you a legal Professional?
My current location:
| Change location
Living Wills and Healthcare Power of Attorney
Living wills and health care powers of attorney allow you to express your preferences regarding your medical treatment, should you become unable to communicate your wishes due to illness or unconsciousness. Living wills also allow you to designate a person who can make end-of-life care decisions on your behalf. Below you will find legal information and tips on creating a living will or health care power of attorney, including state-specific resources.
Ensure your estate goes
to your loved ones
Learn About Living Wills and Healthcare Power of Attorney
Health Care Decisions and the Law:
- Power of Attorney, Living Wills & Advance Directives - Definition of living will, health care power of attorney and related terms.
- Living Will, Power of Attorney & Your Health Care - Basics of the living will, the health care power of attorney and other legal documents pertaining to end-of-life care.
Living Wills:
- Living Wills: Introduction - Living wills, or health care directives, can help you express your health care and end-of-life decisions before it's too late.
- Should You Consider a Living Will? - Historical context for living wills and important things to consider when deciding whether to write a living will.
- Health Care Directives FAQ - Answers to commonly asked questions regarding advanced directives, end-of-life care and related health care issues for older Americans.
- Health Care Directives: Is there a Duty to Follow Them? - Laws governing the enforceability of health care directives and exceptions to these laws.
- State Living Will Laws - Overview of state-specific laws governing living wills, plus links to codes and statutes.
Health Care Power of Attorney:
- Health Care Power of Attorney - Overview of health care powers of attorney, also called durable powers of attorney.
- Health Care Power of Attorney & Living Wills - Details the different ways living wills and health care powers of attorney care are utilized.
Living Will and Healthcare Power of Atorney Forms:
- Sample Living Will - General template to help you write a living will.
- Sample Living Will Directive to Physicians - Template for writing a directive to physicians asking that your life not be artificially prolonged.
- Sample Living Will With Designation of Surrogate - Template for designating a surrogate to speak on your behalf regarding end-of-life directive.
- Sample Health Care Power of Attorney - Template for writing a health care power of attorney form, which often accompanies a living will.
- More Forms in Health Care Law Section - Sample health care power of attorney forms, living will packages and related materials.
FAQs
- What happens if I do not have an advance directive?
- Whom should I name as my agent under a durable power of attorney? Does the person have to be a lawyer?
- What if my doctor or hospital refuses to follow my advance directive?
- What is a living will?
- Do I need a lawyer to write a durable power of attorney?
Q&A in FindLaw Answers
Copyright © 2012 FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business. All rights reserved.
Webby Awards Time 50 coolest websites