While wills and trusts are the crux of estate planning, there are other documents that are important to have when creating your plan. The advance directive is one such document.
So what is an advance directive? An advance directive, also known as a Living Will, is a document that informs healthcare providers as to the type of treatment you wish to receive for various end-of-life situations that render you unable to make treatment decisions. This also relieves your family from the burden of making impossible decisions. Notwithstanding the autonomy given to an individual through the advance directive, it is estimated that only 28-percent of adults have an advance directive. In a country where only 25-percent of the population die at home, the vast majority spend their final days in a hospital and are often confronted with the situations addressed in the advance directive.
While it is often uncomfortable to make these decisions, it is better to have them made before they are needed, rather than to need them and not have them. If you or someone you know has any questions on advance directives or estate planning, please contact our office for a free consultation.
