A living will details your wishes regarding life-saving medical care, such as mechanical ventilation, feeding tubes, and pain medication. If you do not have this document and become incapacitated, your medical care providers may not be able to honor your preferences.
Our Kissimmee wills, trusts & probate lawyers treat our clients like family. Contact Bogin, Munns & Munns today to learn more how our Kissimmee living will lawyers can assist you with this important document.
Our Kissimmee Living Will Attorneys Can Help With Your Estate Plan
At Bogin, Munns & Munns, our Kissimmee estate planning lawyers have served Central Florida since 1979. When you come to us for help with a living will or other documents, we will prioritize your needs and treat you with dignity and respect.
We have an office located in Kissimmee, so you won’t have to travel far to visit with us. Bogin, Munns & Munns serve clients from all walks of life, and you can rest assured our team will represent your best interests during this serious process.
To consult with an experienced living will lawyer serving Kissimmee
(855) 780-9986
Why Should You Create a Living Will?
A living will is not the same thing as a last will and testament. A last will and testament includes your wishes regarding how your property and assets will be distributed after your passing.
A living will, on the other hand, explains your wishes regarding life-saving measures and the medical care you may receive at the end of your life.
If you don’t have a living will and are involved in an accident or contract an illness that prevents you from communicating your wishes, your closest living relatives (such as your spouse or children) will have to make all decisions regarding your care. This can lead to:
- Emotional and legal burdens on your family, as they must now make difficult decisions about your life without your input
- Conflicts or arguments among your family members about what to do
- Your preferences regarding your medical care being ignored
We believe every adult should create a living will to ensure their voice is heard, even if they cannot speak. Our commercial law lawyers in Kissimmee also encourage you to discuss your wishes regarding medical and end-of-life care with your family so they understand your views and can ensure your wishes are honored in worst-case scenarios.
Questions You Should Answer in Your Living Will
Creating a living will involves addressing several questions that may be difficult to think about, but they are important to address. Your living will should include the answers to the following questions and more:
- If your heart stops beating, do you want medical professionals to attempt to revive you with CPR or a defibrillator?
- If you cannot breathe on your own, do you want to be placed on a ventilator? If so, for how long?
- If you cannot eat or drink normally, do you want to be fed via a feeding tube? If so, for how long?
- If your kidneys fail, do you want to be placed on dialysis? If so, for how long?
- If you contract an infection toward the end of your life, do you want to receive antibiotics or other medications to treat it?
- If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, what treatments do you want (if any)?
- What circumstances do you want to surround your death if possible (e.g., dying at home instead of in a hospital, receiving pain medications to make you more comfortable, etc.)?
- When you pass away, do you want to donate your organs to other people?
- After you die, do you want to donate your body to a scientific program or university for research?
Your Kissimmee living will attorney will discuss these questions and others with you during the estate planning process.
Common Mistakes People Make With Living Wills
Our Kissimmee living will lawyers can help you avoid many of the common mistakes people make with living wills, such as:
- Including preferences regarding what happens to your property or assets after you die. This information should go in your last will and testament instead.
- Making your living will too general or vague. It should be very specific regarding your preferences, as you never know what might happen to you after a serious accident or illness.
- Combining your living will and last will and testament into one document. This may seem more efficient, but the odds are no one will look at your last will and testament until after you pass away. So, if that document also includes medical care instructions, your loved ones may not see that information until it’s too late.
- Not updating your living will regularly. We recommend reviewing all your estate planning documents annually to determine if any changes or updates are necessary.
- Creating a living will without an attorney. We strongly recommend securing legal assistance with creating your estate planning documents. Your lawyer can ensure your documents are accurate and legally binding.
If you want help with creating your estate plan, contact Bogin, Munns & Munns today.
Kissimmee Living Will Lawyer Near Me
(855) 780-9986
A Living Will Is Just One Part of an Effective Estate Plan
While a living will is crucial for all adults, it is only one small part of a complete estate plan. Our Kissimmee estate planning attorneys recommend creating several other documents as well, including:
- A Designation of a Health Care Surrogate: Per Florida Statutes § 765.202, this document allows you to choose a healthcare proxy who can make medical decisions for you if a situation arises that is not addressed in your living will.
- A Last Will and Testament: This document explains how you want your property and assets distributed and specifies a guardian for your children if you pass away before they reach adulthood.
- A Durable Power of Attorney: Per Florida Statutes § 709, this document designates someone to make important decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. A Kissimmee power of attorney lawyer from our firm can help you create this document.
Start Working On Your Estate Plan Today With a Kissimmee Living Will Lawyer
If you’d like to create a living will or alter your existing estate planning documents, our Kissimmee living will attorneys are here to help.
Contact Bogin, Munns & Munns today to schedule an appointment and get the process started.
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