Should I Sign A Living Will? Arizona Estate Planning Attorney Christopher A. Benson

Why You Should Sign a Living Will

You don’t have to be rich, retired or sick to need a will. Living wills and advance directives provide legal information for your family and your health care team in the event you are ever involved in a serious accident or sudden illness in Washington.

An accident could happen at anytime, so if you fear there is any circumstance in which you feel you would have specific wishes that you would not be able to communicate, a Living Will aka Directive to Physicians is a vital document.

What an advance directive addresses:

• Living Will. This is where you decide, while you are healthy, what live-saving measures you do or don’t want in an emergency. Just like a pregnant woman would not wait until the baby is coming to make vital decisions about her birth, you want to make these decisions while you are healthy and able to research and consider all your options with no time limit.
• Medical Power of Attorney. This document designates an individual that you choose to make medical decisions for you if you can’t make them yourself. This person will be making decisions that effect your life or death, so you want to choose someone mature and levelheaded, not overly emotional or easily stressed. They should understand your medical wishes and what kind of quality of life you desire. They don’t need to be a family member, and they don’t necessarily have to live near you.
• A Do Not Resuscitate order specifies that you are not to be given CPR if your heart stops or you stop breathing. You do not have to include this in your advance directive, and you can have a DNR in your medical chart even if you don’t have an advance directive.

Over the past 24 years, the Law Offices of Christopher A. Benson, PLLC has helped more than 900 clients prepare and utilize simple and effective planning techniques to protect them and their families in order to avoid probate, save estate taxes, save money and save added emotional burden that comes from long term illness and/or death of a family member. Give us a call to schedule a free consultation to find out how we can help you and your family.