Living Wills

As a part of your estate planning checklist, a Living Will makes known to your doctors and loved ones your specific wishes for end-of-life health care measures in the event your doctors have concluded that they cannot communicate effectively with you, their patient, and you are either permanently unconscious or brain dead or death is imminent and cannot be avoided. By preparing your Living Will before the often intense, emotional times experienced when facing end-of-life issues, you offer those closest to you relief from the burden and stress of trying to guess what your wishes might be... and, even more so, greatly reduce the liklihood of them arguing about your wishes. 

A combination of a healthcare power of attorney (or healthcare proxy), living will, and various other healthcare documents is often referred to as an Advanced Directive.