There is more to estate planning than writing your will. Another document that many residents of California include as part of their estate plan is the advance directive. Whether you are young or old, having an advance directive is highly recommended.
You have control over healthcare decisions
Advance directives allow you to have full control over your healthcare decisions, even when you are unable to speak for yourself. For example, you control whether you want medical personnel to apply all life-saving measures. You can also specify who you want to make decisions on your behalf, so you can avoid the wrong people making decisions that may have a negative impact on you. Additionally, you can specify what type of end-of-life care you want to receive, such as stating you want to die at home rather than in a hospital.
You take the burden off your loved ones
There is nothing worse than having to make decisions when emotions are high, such as during a medical emergency. When you include an advance directive as part of your estate planning, you take the burden of making tough decisions away from your loved ones because all they will have to do is follow the directions you left for them rather than having to figure out what to do. Additionally, they will not have to worry about whether they made the right decisions.
Remember that if your preferences change, you can change your advance directive at any time. Also, do not allow people to pressure you to put anything in your advance directive that makes you uncomfortable. Finally, make sure you appoint someone who aligns with your beliefs and values to make decisions for you.