What Is A Living Will?

A living will is a name given to a document in which you can set out the nature, and extent of the treatment you would like to receive if circumstances ever arise in which you can’t communicate. Probate attorney Kyle Robbins explains everything else you need to know about what is a living will.

Video Transcript:

Hi, everyone. Kyle Robbins here with the Law Offices of Kyle Robbins.

So, what is a living will? A lot of times my clients confuse the term living will with an irregular will, or a testamentary will, but it’s not the same thing. A living will is also called a directive to the physician.

Essentially, it’s the document that says, if I am terminally diagnosed and all hope is lost, and say we’re brain dead, whatever, please remove me from life support, I don’t want to remain on a machine for years on end. That is what a living will or also a directive to the physician accomplishes. So it is not the traditional sense of the will of who gets what of your assets, it’s actually a medical document. So a lot of times the hospital or your doctor might ask you if you have one of those, and a lot of times, people aren’t really clear on what they’re actually asking.