Living Wills (Healthcare Directives) and Powers of Attorney

Much of estate planning is about taking the steps to make sure your family members and loved ones are properly taken care of when you are no longer here to provide support, but estate planning also includes taking steps now to make sure you are taken care of according to your wishes at a later time when you may not have the physical or mental faculties to make those decisions. At The Ledbetter Law Firm, APC, we work with individuals to create livings wills and powers of attorney (also known as advanced healthcare directives) that reflect and further their goals of a happier tomorrow.

Creating a Living Will

A living will is often confused with a testamentary will which is used to control how a person’s property will be distributed following death. A living will, on the other hand, is the legally operative document which will control what type of medical care you should receive should you become unable to make or communicate your decisions to family or healthcare professionals. Issues that a living will can and should address include:

  • Whether feeding tubes should be used
  • The use of resuscitation and heroic life-saving strategies
  • The usage and amount of pain relievers
  • Whether to provide palliative (hospice) care
  • Any other end-of-life wishes

We will guide you through the living will options available to you and create and execute the legal documents necessary for your wishes to be honored by healthcare professionals and in the courts if necessary.

Powers of Attorney / Advanced Healthcare Directives

If a living will directs what type of care you will receive when incapacitated, a power of attorney directs who will have the responsibility of carrying out your wishes and making any further decisions regarding your care not spelled out in a living will. These responsibilities can include choosing your doctor or healthcare facility and approving treatments and drugs.

In California, this power of attorney is created through an advanced healthcare directive which will name the agent that you want to make and carry out these decisions on your behalf. California law restricts who may be named in an advanced healthcare directive, and we will guide you in making sure your power of attorney is valid and effective under the law.

Plan for Tomorrow With an Experienced Estate Planning Attorney Today

Thomas Ledbetter at The Ledbetter Law Firm, APC is dedicated to individuals and families plan for their futures through all aspects of estate planning. Contact The Ledbetter Law Firm, APC to see how you can begin creating or updating an estate plan that incorporates your current needs and desires into a living will and/or power of attorney.

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What Our Clients Say

“Tom was able to take the complex and daunting task of putting together an estate plan and made it much simpler by asking the right questions, focusing on what really mattered, and getting it documented the right way. His down to earth nature, ability to explain things in non-lawyer terms and his deep estate planning expertise made him an excellent fit for our family and estate planning needs.”

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“I hired Tom Ledbetter to represent my company in a contentious contract dispute. One of his main strengths was communicating to me the various procedures and legal strategies throughout the litigation. His exceptional advocacy and knowledge are why I recommend him. Tom now represents my company in drafting and negotiation all of our contracts.”

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The Ledbetter Law Firm, APC