While there are many things to consider when you are creating wills and trusts, it is important to remember that you may need to put legal provisions in place to take care of you while you are still alive. Many people, when they think of the word “will,” automatically think of the legal processes that become applicable only after their deaths; however, sometimes protection is needed earlier than that. If an individual is incapacitated, a living will can come into play.

Not everybody needs a living will. This is a very personal decision and depends on how you feel about people making decisions for you if you are alive but not able to legally make decisions for yourself. For instance, if you end up in a coma due to a car accident, you will not be able to advocate for your own desires where life support is concerned. Living wills can also dictate what you would like to have happen if you are suffering from a memory disease like dementia or suffer a stroke or aneurysm. 

In the event that you feel strongly about life-saving procedures in any form, having a living will is a good idea. It is also smart to have a living will if you believe that, in the event of your incapacitation, strife will occur in your family as to how to manage your needs. A living will makes the decisions for them. Even if you do not believe that your incapacitation could cause family issues, making these decisions in advance is a way to make this process easier on your loved ones.