Your living will is one of the most important documents in your Massachusetts estate planning toolbox. It is the companion to your Health Care Proxy. Your Health Care Proxy is the official document that names individuals that you want to step in in the event that you are unable to make healthcare decisions for yourself.
The living will outlines those wishes for your agents and it is something that should be reviewed and updated regularly. Your living will is a personalized document with your individual wishes. Keep in mind that as your life situation or your health changes you may want to update those wishes. There are several times that you may want to consider updating your living will. These include:
- Learning that you are pregnant
- Milestone birthdays
- If you can’t remember what your current living will says
- If you’ve recently been inspired by a media story about where someone else’ s vague living will has caused problems for family members
- When family members have gone through a health crisis and you want to ensure that your living will encompasses situations that have happened
- Before you go into the hospital for any major procedure such as a surgery
Consulting with a knowledgeable Massachusetts estate planning attorney can help you accomplish your goals as it relates to a living will. Since this is one of the most important aspects of your estate planning, it is something that you should take quite seriously. Thankfully, it’s a document easily put together with the help of a lawyer.