Advance healthcare directives are among the most important documents anyone can create in their lifetime. Please continue reading and speak with our experienced Maryland estate law attorney to learn more about advance healthcare directives, how creating one may benefit you, and how our firm can help you draft one in accordance with your wishes. Here are some of the questions you may have:
What is the purpose of advance healthcare directives?
By creating an advance healthcare directive, you are giving a trusted individual instructions regarding your preference when it comes to medical care after becoming incapacitated. This document will also make it so that your medical records can only be accessed by the individual should a health emergency occur. You can outline various healthcare-related matters in your advance healthcare directive, including:
- Your terms regarding the definition of “incapacitation”
- Your terms regarding whether you would like to receive end-of-life care (ventilators, feeding tubes, etc.)
- What types of medical treatments you wish to receive (or not to receive) in accordance with your religious beliefs
- Allow trusted individuals to access your medical records in a health emergency
- All other health care wishes that you wish to address
How can I create an advance healthcare directive in Maryland?
To create an advance healthcare directive, the first thing you should do is speak with the individual you would like to appoint to have the authority to make these medical decisions on your behalf, should the time ever come where you become incapacitated. That being said, from here, you will have to speak with an experienced Maryland estate law attorney who can draft up the document in accordance with your wishes. Of course, this is one of the most emotional facets of estate planning, and nobody wants to imagine a time where they cannot make these decisions on their own. However, it is best you take care of this now, before it is too late. Furthermore, having an advance healthcare directive in order today will allow you to live out the rest of your life with peace of mind, knowing that should the time ever come, you will be treated in accordance with your wishes. If you have any additional questions or you are ready to get started, please do not hesitate to give our firm a call today. We are here to help.
Contact our experienced Maryland firm
The attorneys at JD Katz have years of experience compassionately guiding clients in Maryland through the estate planning and administration process. Our firm also has experience with matters of elder law, business law, tax law, and litigation. For a legal team that will put your needs first, contact JD Katz today.
