Advance Directive Sign with Stamp For Free

Advance directives need to be in writing. Each state has different forms and requirements for creating legal documents. Depending on where you live, a form may need to be signed by a witness or notarized. You can ask a lawyer to help you with the process, but it is generally not necessary.

What is it? It is a document prescribing a person's wishes regarding the medical treatment the person would want if he/she was unable to share his/her wishes or not in a position to make an informed decision by reason of being unconscious or in a coma.

Whether or not your home state calls for an official notarization by a notary public, every state in the U.S. requires your advance directive to be signed by witnesses. Some states require both witnesses and notary publics to sign advance directives.

Types of Advance Directives The living will. Durable power of attorney for health care/Medical power of attorney. POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders. Organ and tissue donation.

Federal law requires hospitals to give adult patients information on advance directives. Be sure to let your family and doctors know if you have an advance directive. Advance directives do not need to be notarized, only witnessed, signed and dated.

The two most common advance directives for health care are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care. Living will: A living will is a legal document that tells doctors how you want to be treated if you cannot make your own decisions about emergency treatment.

For the most part, it will be valid, because nearly all states except health care directives from other states so long as the documents are legally valid in the state where they were made. Some states regulate the degree to which they will accept health care directives from other states.

Sign Your California Advance Directive in Front of Two Witnesses or a Notary Public. After you create your advance directive, you must sign your document and have it either signed by two witnesses or notarized. If you choose to have the document witnessed, neither of your witnesses may be: your health care agent.

Always remember: an advance directive is only used if you are in danger of dying and need certain emergency or special measures to keep you alive, but you are not able to make those decisions on your own. An advance directive allows you to make your wishes about medical treatment known.

A legal document that states a person's wishes about receiving medical care if that person is no longer able to make medical decisions because of a serious illness or injury.