A living will is a legal document that informs family members, doctors, and medical care professionals what your wishes are in the event you depend on life support to stay alive. If you are a resident of Orlando or Central Florida, it’s important to make plans for a living will as part of your estate plan. Below, we will help you understand what a living will is, and how it fits into the estate planning process.
Of course no one wants to think about the possibility of becoming incapacitated or terminally ill. Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life that accidents happen every day. And if an unexpected accident happens to you or someone close to you, you want to be prepared. A living will provides you with peace of mind to ensure your wishes are followed, no matter what happens.
How Do I Make a Living Will?
While you don’t need a lawyer to draft a living will, it’s recommended to have an estate planning lawyer properly draft one for you. This is because every state has its own requirements, and you need to make sure that the legal details are taken care of. Not only that, lawyers help draft estate planning documents every day for their clients. They will know how to prepare one specifically for you.
When writing the living will, you can state whether you wish to remain with la life support device in the event of a terminal condition, end-stage condition or vegetative state. You can name a specific person, or agent, who can help carry out your wish to keep or remove you from life support. Making these decisions is certainly not easy, but worth preparing for.
Once you have a living will, make sure you keep it in a safe place. You may keep a copy with your attorney and another in your home office. If you ever become incapacitated in the future, your living will must be within easy reach. Be sure to let you relatives know where to find your living will if something should happen.
About Estate Planning in Orlando, Florida
No matter your financial situation, estate planning is an essential step to take to ensure your final wishes are honored and your family members are taken care of. It can also mean the difference between clarity and confusion in the event of an untimely death. At Paula Montoya Law, our services include last will and testaments, living wills, designation of healthcare surrogates, life estate deeds, trusts, and more.
Our team wants to help you make the proper arrangements so that when the time comes, every party is protected. And as estate planning professionals in Orlando, we can help you minimize the amount of taxes you pay and avoid costs associated with the probate process.
We realize that estate plan options might seem complex at first. Our attorney is available for your questions and concerns. Contact Paula Montoya Law today, we are happy to guide you through the process.