What is a Living Will?

People often confuse Living Will with Living Trust.  Although they both use the word “Living”, they are totally different types of documents.

A Living Trust almost always refers to a Revocable Living Trust.  As you will see later on, one of the “Frequently Asked Questions” is “What Is A Living Trust?”

A Living Will, on the other hand, is a written document that is not, technically, a Will, as it does not dispose of a person’s solely-owned property and assets upon his or her death. 

Rather, a Living Will is a written document that expresses a person’s end-of-life preference that death-delaying procedures shall not be used to prolong life.  This document will only be effective if the person who has signed the Living Will is suffering from a terminal condition and cannot then actively participate in decisions about himself or herself.