The process of preparing for your own passing may not be a particularly enjoyable topic. However, it is necessary for minimizing the stress and strain that your loved ones will experience in response to your passing. Despite the prevalent benefits that living wills can provide, people will often fail to create one of these documents.
1. Appreciate The Benefits Of A Living Will
Your traditional will governs what happens after you pass away. However, there can be instances where you may not have the faculties to make decisions for yourself. This is often the case when a person suffers a serious head injury that leaves them in a vegetative state. In these situations, the living will dictates what you want to happen. For example, you can state in the will when you wish for life-extending care to be stopped being provided. This can help to take the decisions to discontinue this type of care away from your loved ones so that they can avoid the guilt that may come with these decisions.
2. Have Your Living Will Professionally Prepared
Sadly, there are people that will not prepare legally binding living wills. This can create intense confusion as the loved ones may assume it is legally binding and valid, but the courts may view the matter differently. When you have your living will professionally prepared, you can be sure that it will be free of serious errors that could render it invalid or create confusion as to what your intent would be.
3. Set A Schedule For Reviewing And Updating This Document
Over the course of your life, your feelings and preferences for the living will may change. This makes it important to review and update the will with regular frequency. Ideally, individuals should perform this step at least once a year, but they should also do it after major life events, such as divorce. This will ensure that the living will best reflects your current living arrangements and preferences.
The prospect of lacking a will to make arrangements for your death may be a source of stress for those that are wanting to protect their survivors' interests. A living will can be an invaluable tool in this regard as it will provide clear instructions on what to do when you are no longer able to make decisions for your own health. Appreciating this role, having the will drafted by professionals along with reviewing it on a regular basis can be essential for avoiding all of the potential problems that may arise if you lose the ability to make decisions for yourself.
For more information, contact a company like Wright Law Offices, PLLC.
