Reliable Spanaway Attorneys Safeguard Clients’ Healthcare Wishes

Law firm drafts advance directives for Washington State residents

Advance directives allow you to document your healthcare preferences for the future if you are incapacitated and to appoint a trusted individual to make decisions consistent with your wishes. Our attorneys at Strong International Law Group in Spanaway, have nearly 30 years of combined experience guiding Washington State residents through the entire estate planning process, including drafting advance directives. We focus our practice in Pierce County and surrounding areas.  

What is an advance directive for healthcare in an estate plan?

Advance directives for healthcare are a critical part of estate planning because you can never predict when a serious illness or an accident will happen and leave you unable to communicate. These legal documents will help ensure your wishes for healthcare treatment are carried out if you cannot make these decisions yourself. We can advise you about the issues that advance directives can address and draft these documents for you to ensure they are legally binding.  

What are types of advance directives?

Types of advance directives include living wills and healthcare power of attorney instruments. A living will is a written document that describes end-of-life wishes related to how and whether a person wishes to be kept alive when they are near death and the kinds of comfort care they want. A healthcare power of attorney assigns a trusted individual to make healthcare decisions for people who are temporarily or permanently incapacitated and unable to communicate their own wishes. A do-not-resuscitate order, or DNR, can also be included in an advance directive. A DNR tells doctors that you do not wish to be resuscitated if your heart stops beating. There is also a document called a financial power of attorney in which you can name an agent to handle your financial affairs if you are unable to handle them yourself. Our lawyers will carefully prepare these documents in accordance with your wishes.

What makes advance directives legal in Washington State?

To be legal, advance directives must be signed in front of a notary public or “disinterested” witnesses. A disinterested witness is someone not related to you and someone who does not stand to inherit from your estate when you pass away. You must also be of sound mental capacity and at least 18 years old. When you trust our firm with your advance directives, we will make sure they are properly and legally prepared.

Contact our experienced estate planning lawyers when you need advanced directives drafted

Since it was established in 2011, Strong International Law Group in Spanaway has assisted Washington residents in Pierce County with all of their estate planning needs, including preparing valid advance directives. To schedule a free consultation, call our firm at 253-331-2889 or contact us online.