Beyond Bending Tell You How
If you are a resident of Georgia, it is important to have a living will in place to ensure that your medical wishes are followed if you become incapacitated. A living will is a legal document that outlines the medical treatments you want or do not want in case you are unable to communicate your wishes. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a living will in Georgia.
Step 1: Learn about Living Wills
Before you start creating your living will, it is important to understand what it is and what it entails. A living will is a legal document that outlines your medical treatment preferences in case you become incapacitated. It is also known as an advance directive or healthcare directive.
Step 2: Determine Your Medical Treatment Preferences
The next step is to decide what medical treatments you want or do not want in case you are incapacitated. Some common treatments that people include in their living wills are feeding tubes, ventilators, resuscitation, and pain medication.
Step 3: Choose Your Agent
You will also need to choose an agent, also known as a healthcare proxy or surrogate, who will make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so. It is important to choose someone you trust and who understands your wishes.
Step 4: Create Your Living Will
Once you have decided on your medical treatment preferences and chosen your agent, you can start creating your living will. You can create one yourself using online templates or seek the help of an attorney to ensure that your document is legally valid.
Step 5: Sign and Execute Your Living Will
After creating your living will, you will need to sign and execute it in front of two witnesses who are not related to you and do not stand to inherit anything from your estate. You can also have your document notarized for added protection.
Step 6: Store Your Living Will Safely
It is important to store your living will in a safe place where it can be easily accessed in case of an emergency. You can give a copy to your agent, your doctor, and close family members.
Step 7: Review and Update Your Living Will
It is important to review and update your living will regularly to ensure that it reflects your current medical treatment preferences and agent choices. You can make changes to your living will at any time by creating a new document and executing it according to Georgia law.
People also ask:
Q: Can I make a living will without a lawyer in Georgia?
A: Yes, you can create a living will yourself using online templates or seek the help of an attorney.
Q: Do I need a witness to sign my living will in Georgia?
A: Yes, you will need two witnesses who are not related to you and do not stand to inherit anything from your estate to sign your living will according to Georgia law.
Q: Can I make changes to my living will in Georgia?
A: Yes, you can make changes to your living will at any time by creating a new document and executing it according to Georgia law.
