Pro

“If you do not have a living will, the decisions to carry out your last wishes could rest in the hands of the courts or a long-lost family member. That’s because when there is no living will, state law takes effect. A living will gives you the power to control how decisions are made and who makes them…

When there is no living will, state law puts the health care power of attorney into the hands of your spouse, then your family. If you have a long-time partner, but you’re not married, your partner would be completely excluded from any end-of-life decisions…

In every case, designating an agent in your health care power of attorney avoids confusion. If you have multiple children, a living will allows you to designate who makes the decisions. That way you’re not leaving your family guessing and arguing over what to do…

Ultimately, a living will gives you, and your loved ones, peace of mind. This process is never going to be easy, but anything you can do to smooth out the logistics is huge. With a clear living will, your family won’t be arguing over what to do, and they won’t second guess themselves.”

May 5, 2017