5 Things to Include in a Living Will

 Posted on October 24, 2024 in Estate Planning and Probate

Estate planning often focuses on making arrangements for after you pass away. Many wills and trusts, for example, allow estate owners to distribute assets to their beneficiaries after death. Other documents, however, are designed to ensure your wishes are carried out during your lifetime. One of those documents is called a living will, also known as an advance directive. A living will contains instructions for your healthcare in the event you become incapacitated and are no longer able to make decisions for yourself.

Living wills should convey your wishes exactly, which is why they are best drafted by an experienced Texas estate planning attorney. Consider discussing with your lawyer the following five things to include in your living will.

Your Preferences for End-of-Life Care

A living will should address the possibility that you might contract a terminal illness. Include your preferences for end-of-life care such as pain management and palliative treatments. You may, for example, want to consider specifying whether you wish to receive hospice care at home or in a facility, or whether you want aggressive or more balanced pain relief.

Instructions for Life-Sustaining Care

Another important element of a living will is instructions for life-sustaining care. Clarify whether you want to be kept on life support, for instance, as well as whether you want to receive other interventions such as:

• Dialysis treatments if your kidneys fail
• Mechanical ventilation if you can no longer breathe
• Resuscitation if your heart stops beating
• Feeding tubes if you can no longer eat or drink

Your Preferences for Organ Donation

Some people choose to be organ donors upon their death while others do not. Specify your preferences regarding organ donation in your living will. If you want to donate organs or tissue, list which ones you wish to give and for what purpose. Some donors prefer to donate their organs to medical research, for example, while others donate theirs for transplantation.

Your Religious Considerations

Religious preferences are also a crucial part of a living will. Make sure to detail which treatments, if any, you want to decline based on religious reasons. You may also want to request that certain spiritual rites or services be performed in certain circumstances, in keeping with your religious preferences.

Signatures and Witnesses

For a living will to be legally valid, it must be signed before two witnesses or a notary public. If witnesses are present, at least one of them must not be related to you by marriage or blood. He or she must also not be a beneficiary of your estate.

Contact a Bexar County, TX Living Will Attorney

The best way to ensure your living will is valid and accurately conveys your instructions is to have it drafted by a Wilson County, TX living will lawyer. Geoff Mayfield, Attorney at Law provides personalized legal services in all estate planning matters, including living wills and advance directives. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney today by calling 210-535-0870 now.