Setting Up An Advance Health Care Directive

Have you ever had a conversation with your spouse or significant other about whether you would want life support in case of catastrophic illness or injury? Does he or she know what you would want if you were hooked up on life support? These are not easy questions and there are no easy answers. However, there is an estate planning tool that can help a loved one if you become incapacitated.

This tool is called an advance health care directive and it is vital to have one set up. My name is Thomas Gray. My legal practice is dedicated entirely to estate planning services for clients throughout the Anaheim, California, area. With over 30 years of experience, I provide my clients with the seasoned and catered legal counsel they are often searching for. It can be daunting when you take that first step in creating an estate plan. Let me guide you.

How An Advance Health Care Directive Works

An advance health care directive (also commonly called a living will) is an important part of any estate plan. This is the legal document that gives explicit instructions about how you want your health care decisions to be made. If you are incapacitated or no longer able to make these important decisions, your family is not left wondering what you would want. Instead, with an advance health care directive in place, they will have the comfort of knowing they are doing what you asked for ahead of time.

It is important to note that an advance health care directive (the “how”) is not particularly helpful unless the “who” is in place. That is, who has the legal authority to make decisions on your behalf? This is where a durable power of attorney comes into play, another piece of the puzzle I can help with.

If you are interested in an advance health care directive or any other type of estate planning tool, I invite you to reach out to me in Orange County. Call 714-460-9406 or send a message online to discuss your estate planning needs and how I can help. Hablamos español.