Posted on January 05, 2017 in Estate Planning

Who will make medical decisions for you if you become so ill that you cannot communicate your wishes? What if the person selected chooses treatment you would not want? Fortunately, there are documents - called "advance directives" - you can prepare before a serious illness to help in situations like these.

An "advance directive" is a document that tells how you want medical decisions made if you ever become physically or mentally unable to make them yourself. The two most commonly prepared advance directives are a "living will" and a "durable power of attorney for health care." Here is a brief explanation of each.

• Living Will. A living will lets you specify the types of life-prolonging treatment you want - or do not want - in the event you were terminally ill. It is called a living will because it can take effect while you are alive.
• Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. This lets you appoint someone (such as your spouse or child) to make your medical decisions if you cannot make them yourself..

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