What Is a Living Will?
A living will — also called an advance directive — is a legal document that spells out your preferences for medical treatment if you become unable to communicate your wishes. It speaks for you when you cannot speak for yourself.
What a Living Will Covers
A comprehensive living will addresses specific medical treatments and scenarios, including:
- Life-sustaining treatments: CPR, mechanical ventilation, dialysis
- Nutrition and hydration: Feeding tubes, IV fluids, nasogastric tubes
- Pain management: Your priorities for comfort vs. alertness
- Healthcare agent: Who should make decisions if you cannot
- Organ donation: Your wishes about donating organs or tissue
- Specific scenarios: What you want in situations like advanced dementia or permanent unconsciousness
Living Will vs. Healthcare Power of Attorney
These are related but different documents:
Living Will
Documents your specific treatment preferences. Tells doctors what you want and don't want.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Designates a person (your healthcare agent) to make medical decisions on your behalf when you cannot.
Our tool combines both — you designate your healthcare agent and document your specific treatment preferences in one comprehensive document.
When Does a Living Will Take Effect?
A living will only takes effect when two conditions are met:
- You are unable to communicate your own healthcare decisions
- You have a qualifying medical condition (terminal illness, persistent vegetative state, or irreversible condition, depending on your state's law)
Until both conditions are met, you retain full control over your own medical decisions. You can also revoke or change your living will at any time.
Who Needs a Living Will?
Every adult over 18 should have a living will. Medical emergencies are unpredictable — accidents, strokes, and sudden illnesses can happen at any age. Without a living will, your family may face agonizing decisions without knowing what you would want, and doctors will default to providing all possible treatments.
Important: This tool provides a template for creating a living will based on your state's general requirements. It is not legal advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified attorney. For complex medical situations, blended families, or significant assets, we recommend having an attorney review your document.