A living will in Aberdeen, North Carolina is sometimes called a "healthcare directive" or something comparable. But whatever you call it, it's a legally-binding document which provides directions for your family members as well as you doctors on how you want end-of-life medical care to be handled. It lets them know in advance what you want.

A living will can be extremely significant in avoiding painful, expensive, and time-consuming disagreements between your family members.

For instance, some people don't want to be kept on life support if they are in a vegetative state with no significant chance of recovery. Others, however, might prefer to be kept alive as long as humanly feasible. Another person's wishes might be something in between. In any case, if the family doesn't know what their loved one's wishes are, they may have to guess, which could lead to them making a choice that the patient would never have wanted.

Furthermore, if family members have differing opinions of what the patient would want, this can give rise to infighting. Disagreements on such a painful subject can tear families apart. If the patient's wishes are made clear in advance, such arguments and disagreements are far less likely.

How to Create A Living Will in Aberdeen, North Carolina

Before taking any steps to create a living will, you should make your wishes known to your family. While it's ultimately your decision (and your family will probably recognize that), they will likely appreciate having their opinions heard. Also, implementing a living will can be much easier if the family already knows what it says, with the document simply making it legally-binding.

Now comes the part where you actually draft the living will. The process is likely to go much more smoothly if you enlist the help of a reputable attorney in Aberdeen, North Carolina who is experienced in drafting documents like this.

Living wills generally have to follow the same formalities as regular wills (the ones that distribute a person's property after their death).

In general, wills of any type (testamentary or living) have to be signed by 2 people who witnessed it being signed by the person who the will is for. They must also contain a clear provision saying what they actually are (so there can be no confusion as to whether or not a certain document was intended to be a will).

Do I Need A Aberdeen, North Carolina Living Will Attorney?

While not completely necessary, a reputable estates attorney in Aberdeen, North Carolina can be very helpful in drafting a living will. A lawyer will understand the intricacies of state and local law, and can craft a document around those laws, to ensure that your wishes are followed, to the extent feasible.