What exactly is a "living" will?

Howard Krooks is a lawyer who specializes in these kinds of documents, and is here to explain it to us in nice, clear and friendly language:

- A living will is a will that's only applicable to a specific point in time. It starts when a person has developed a terminal condition, with a prognosis of typically 3 to 6 months, and their quality of life is very low. Unable to make decisions, or communicate those decisions, and it's a situation that's not likely to reverse itself.

So, it's about end of life instructions. To have your wishes set down in writing, and declare an agent who can communicate those wishes to a third party, such as a health care provider or a financial institution.

This is of course crucially important, because you need to find someone who knows you well, and are trustworthy to put your best interests first.

In fact, it's smart to name at least two people, to have an alternate ready as well.

And how's this for a bold statement from Howard:
When choosing your person, "You don't necessarily need to or want to treat your kids equally."

Now, you probably know already, in your gut, who you have in mind, but these guidelines today from Howard might help you with the confidence and perspective that's required.

And don't forget probably the most important thing: just getting the documents prepared and signed isn't enough. You do have to actually talk to the people you've nominated, to make sure they understand the responsibility, and most of all that they understand your instructions - written out as clearly as possible.

Even though they are someone you trust implicitly, that doesn't mean they'll actually know what to do when the time comes.

Howard tackles some more important questions too, like, What happens if you decide to move between states? Are out-of-state documents honored? What do you do if you're traveling? And can you change your documents later?

Howard is here to answer these questions and get you prepared for this important task.

Like so much of what we do on this podcast, it's about breaking down those barriers, making overwhelming tasks seem less intimidating, and maybe even something that's satisfying too.

Find Howard and his resources here:
Howard S. Krooks, CELA
Elder Law Specialist
⁠https://www.cozen.com/people/bios/krooks-howard

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00:00 Understanding Advanced Directives
03:04 Choosing the Right Agents for Decision Making
05:49 The Importance of Trust in Appointments
08:39 Healthcare Proxies vs. Living Wills
11:19 Navigating State Laws and Advanced Directives
14:20 The Role of Communication with Agents
17:17 Revoking and Updating Advanced Directives
19:59 Costs and Considerations in Estate Planning
22:54 Final Thoughts on Planning for the Future

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