When to Make Adjustments to a Living Will

Living wills are meant to be a valid document for the duration of your life. You should make regular updates to accommodate any changes in your own personal medical situation, or to consider any changes that occur with available medical treatments or technology as scientific advances occur.

Here are a few examples of situations in which you should consider updating your living will:

• Changes in medical technology that could affect the kind of treatments you would or would not want to receive in certain circumstances.
• Move to another state.
• Change of certain beliefs or wishes regarding the type of end-of-life care you want to receive.
• Changes in your health to which you need to respond. These could include deteriorating health conditions, terminal diagnoses, a hospitalization or a pregnancy.
• Statutory changes to healthcare laws that could affect your own plans or wishes as listed in your living will.

These are just a few of the examples of cases that may cause you to revisit the wishes you outlined in your living will.

If you need assistance in drafting a living will or altering an existing document to meet your new circumstances, contact an experienced Tampa, FL estate planning lawyer at BaumannKangas Estate Law.