What is the primary focus of a living will?

The primary focus of a living will is to outline healthcare preferences during incapacity. A living will is a legal document that allows individuals to express their wishes regarding medical treatment in situations where they may be unable to communicate those wishes themselves, such as in cases of terminal illness or severe injury. This ensures that healthcare providers and family members are aware of the person’s desires concerning life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation efforts, and other medical interventions.

Understanding this purpose highlights the distinction between a living will and other estate planning documents. For instance, while the allocation of assets to beneficiaries and appointing an executor concerns the distribution of an estate after death, a living will is specifically concerned with medical decisions made while a person is still alive but incapacitated. Additionally, stating funeral arrangements is typically addressed in a separate document, such as a will or a funeral directive, and is not part of the living will's function. By focusing on healthcare preferences, a living will plays a crucial role in ensuring that individuals’ rights to make decisions about their own medical care are respected, even when they can no longer express those wishes directly.