More and more people are deciding to create living wills every day here in New York. However, before you can decide if you would like to follow suit, it is important to understand exactly what a living will can and cannot do. Many people confuse a living will with a regular will. However, a living will is something that will come into effect while you are still alive under certain circumstances. According to US News & World Report, a living will is a document that will give directions as to what should be done if you are no longer mentally cognizant but yet still alive.

You may be wondering if you actually need a living will. This is, like many estate planning decisions, entirely up to you. Many people have strong feelings regarding life-preserving procedures, for example. Many wish to be taken off life support if they are in such a state as to not regain consciousness. Others would wish to prolong medical treatment as long as possible.

One of the main reasons why many people create living wills is to take this decision out of the hands of those who are still cognizant. For example, in the event that a family member is in a coma, this can cause a lot of angst among the cognizant family members. If you would like to avoid this, a living will can remove this by providing a clear roadmap as to what you wish to have done with your medical situation.

Working with a professional to create a living will can help you walk through various different scenarios and see how they will play out in real life.