Having an advance directive ensures your wishes guide care, reduces family conflict, and helps doctors respect your preferences when decisions are urgent. A named healthcare proxy can advocate on your behalf, while a living will clarifies which treatments you want or decline at end of life.
Clients gain clarity about who makes decisions, what care is acceptable, and how to handle emergencies. This confidence reduces family tension and helps medical teams deliver care aligned with previously stated goals, even when emotions run high.
Choosing a local firm with experience in Maryland estate planning ensures your directives align with state law and local medical practices. We listen to your goals, explain options in plain language, and provide ongoing support as your circumstances change.
Effective planning includes family discussions and transparency. We provide talking points, timelines, and summaries to help your loved ones understand your choices, reducing surprises and promoting harmonious decision-making when decisions must be made.
An advance healthcare directive is a legal document that records your preferences for medical treatment when you cannot communicate. It typically includes appointing a health care proxy and outlining types of care you want or want to avoid. Drafting with an attorney helps ensure it complies with Maryland law and remains accessible to your medical team.
A healthcare proxy should be someone you trust to advocate for your wishes and communicate effectively with doctors. Consider their availability, values alignment, and ability to handle difficult conversations under pressure. Discuss expectations in advance and ensure they understand their responsibilities.
A living will typically covers whether to pursue life-sustaining treatments, resuscitation, ventilation, feeding tubes, and other end-of-life care decisions. It may be broad or tailored to a range of medical scenarios and should reflect your personal values.
Storing directives securely is essential. Keep originals in a safe place and provide copies to your healthcare proxy, primary physician, and at your state or local registry if available where applicable. Digital copies can be useful, but ensure print copies are readily accessible in emergencies.
Yes, directives can be updated. Maryland allows changes at any time as long as the document is properly signed and witnessed or notarized according to state law to remain valid.
Yes, these documents are valid in Maryland if properly executed. Maryland recognizes advance directives when they meet state requirements, including signatures, witnesses or notary where required, and proper storage and timely delivery to caregivers and medical teams.
A HIPAA release authorizes medical providers to share your health information with your designated agents. This helps ensure that those chosen to make decisions have access to necessary records while protecting your privacy, and it helps avoid delays in care or misunderstandings during critical moments.
While it is possible to draft directives without an attorney, guidance helps ensure the forms meet Maryland requirements, avoid ambiguous language, and reduce the risk of invalidating the documents in emergencies.
If you move, you should review your directives to ensure they align with the new state’s laws and medical practices, and consider updating proxies.
A straightforward set of directives can be completed in a single consult, especially with prepared information and clear goals. More complex needs or additional appointments may extend to a few weeks to allow review, revisions, and final signing.
