An advanced directive is a tool that enables people to have control over their future and what type of end-of-life care they will receive. This article discusses how uncommon it is for Americans to use this estate planning tool. The two forms of directives that are discussed in this article are instruction directives and proxy directives. It explains the requirements for each of these two directives and the process that people have to go through to create an advanced directive. Making decisions about end-of-life care can be stressful for people, but it is important to tackle these issues now so that people can have control over their lives. People who put these decisions off might end up having these decisions made for them. Advanced directives can protect patients when they are most vulnerable.
See Jamie Zuckerman, Why Do So Few Americans Have Advanced Directives?, Wealth Management, April 18, 2016.
Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse for bringing this article to my attention.
