Having advance directives and living wills can prevent family disputes during difficult moments, ensure timely medical decisions, and align care with your values. These documents also help medical teams respect your preferences, reduce unnecessary treatments, and provide clear guidance for appointing a trusted health care proxy.
A unified plan allows your autonomy to guide medical choices with explicit instructions and appointed decision-makers. This reduces ambiguity for families and clinicians, leading to more consistent care aligned with your beliefs and values.
Choosing a dedicated estate planning and healthcare planning team helps ensure your documents are valid, complete, and aligned with Maryland law. We take time to listen to your goals, explain options clearly, and tailor directives to reflect your unique values and family dynamics.
We provide a plan for regular check-ins to update any changes in health, family, or laws, keeping your directives current and effective over time.
A health care proxy should be someone you trust, who understands your values, can follow instructions, and is willing to speak on your behalf in emergencies. Spouses, adult children, or close relatives are common choices, but choose someone organized, available, and capable of making difficult decisions. Discuss expectations in advance, provide their contact information, and share copies of your directive with them. Regularly review and update proxy selections as relationships and circumstances change to ensure your wishes are respected when a crisis arises.
An advance directive records your overall preferences for medical treatment, such as life-sustaining measures, while a living will specifies particular circumstances and actions you want or do not want. In practice, many people use both together to guide care when decisions must be made. The directive sets general guidelines and appoints a proxy, while the living will handles concrete choices in described scenarios. Together they create a clear, actionable plan that reduces ambiguity for families and clinicians.
Notarization requirements vary by state and document type. In Maryland, some directives may not require notarization if witnessed properly, but having a notary ready can add enforceability. Check local hospital and physician office requirements to avoid delays. Store copies in multiple places and share with your proxy and primary care team. Ensure you have the official originals on file and know how to access them quickly during an emergency.
Yes. You can revise directives whenever your health, relationships, or values change. It’s best to review and sign updated documents with the same formalities as the originals to maintain validity. Keep old copies in the record and clearly revoke outdated versions. Communicate updates to your proxy, physicians, and family so everyone is aligned with the most current instructions in advance.
Store the originals in a fireproof location and provide copies to your health care proxy, primary physician, and family members. Keep digital backups secured with access instructions to ensure your documents are available when needed. Inform your attorney of where the originals are stored and confirm that hospitals and clinics have access to copies. Schedule annual or event-driven reviews to keep contact details current and reflect any change in your wishes.
Directives are generally recognized across hospitals and clinics, but policies vary. Bring copies, ensure proxies have authority, and verify that the documents comply with local laws. Before urgent care, confirm with facilities to avoid delays. Coordinate with primary care physicians and hospital ethics committees when possible to ensure plans are respected. Provide contacts and instructions to facilitate quick access to directives and proxies in emergencies.
Regular reviews are recommended after major life events and roughly every year to keep responses accurate. Mark calendars for check-ins with your attorney to adjust proxies and preferences as needed. Changes in health, relationships, or care settings are signals to revisit directives. Update documentation promptly so your plans stay aligned with medical realities and your evolving goals for peace of mind.
If no medical proxy is chosen and you lack decision-making capacity, state law may appoint a guardian or conservator. Planning ahead reduces the likelihood of court involvement and ensures your wishes are considered. Having an alternative proxy or backup plan minimizes delays and helps family navigate the process with some stability. We can help identify potential guardians and prepare supporting documents in advance.
While you can draft directives without counsel, working with an attorney helps ensure documents meet state requirements, use precise language, and align with broader estate planning goals. An attorney can tailor documents to your family and health care beliefs. Hiring guidance can also help coordinate with medical providers and ensure the documents are easily accessible during emergencies. We provide clear explanations and coordinate signing to maximize enforceability for you and your loved ones.
When you move to Maryland from another state, you should review your directives to ensure they conform with local laws and hospital policies. Some documents may require updates or re-authentication. Consult with us to translate existing directives into Maryland-compliant documents, update proxies, and incorporate any state-specific forms. This helps ensure your care choices remain valid and actionable after relocation and practical settings.
