Maryland advanced directives
Look ahead. Have you made a will or a medical directive? Estate planning is important to make your wishes known about your property—and your personal care.
An advanced medical directive is essential at any age. While a will directs disposition of financial and other assets, an advanced medical directive memorializes your intentions for end-of-life care while you are still capable of making decisions.
As estate planning attorneys, we help clients create solid planning documents for both financial and medical purposes. Health care decisions are highly personal, especially those surrounding palliative care. Accident or sudden illness can quickly incapacitate the young or the old—leaving the burden of life-ending decisions on loved ones already traumatized by unfolding events.
An advanced medical directive accomplishes the following:
- Health care proxy. A proxy or agent carries out your wishes when you are unable to do so. They must be over 18 and can be a spouse, child, family member or other close personal friend. Discuss their designation as your proxy to ensure they understand your wishes and are able and willing to carry them out.
- Treatment preferences. Make choices now about decisions you may not be able to make later if faced with death from a terminal or persistent vegetative condition. Consider choices about life support, resuscitation, feeding tubes, and medication. You can change or revoke an advanced medical directive at any time.
The time to look forward is now. Contact us when you have questions about estate planning.
