Christy Bieber has a JD from UCLA School of Law and began her career as a college instructor and textbook author. She has been writing full time for over a decade with a focus on making financial and ...

An advance directive is a legally binding document regulated by state laws. Advance directives are subject to The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA), 1990, a federal law that encourages individuals ...

Two main types of advance directives are living wills and healthcare power of attorney. These are legal documents that outline a person’s preferences regarding major medical decisions. An advance ...

Terri Schiavo's family probably never imagined the decisions they would have to make regarding her care. But the court battle surrounding this 41-year-old woman, who was in a vegetative state since a ...

Filling out an Advance Directive with a loved one. (Get it Done SB photo) If you experienced a life-threatening emergency tomorrow and were unable to speak for yourself, would your loved ones and ...

An advance directive is a way to tell your loved ones and doctors your wishes if something happens and you can’t speak for yourself. A directive can include the type and extent of your medical care.

When it comes to health care, everyone deserves to make decisions that align with their wishes and values. However, sometimes circumstances take that opportunity away before someone has a chance to ...

When it comes to estate planning, don't overlook an advance directive. This array of critical legal documents clarifies your medical care wishes should you be incapacitated. After all, most people ...

If estate planning isn't a grim enough subject, adding an advance directive for dementia to your plan is doubly unpleasant. But an hour or so of your time now could ensure your loved ones know how you ...

States generally allow a person (principal) to appoint another person (agent) to make health care decisions, receive protected health information, or both on the principal’s behalf. In many states, ...

As we grow older, we may face situations where we become unable to make important medical decisions for ourselves. This could happen due to a severe illness, a coma, or any other condition that makes ...

STEVE DEBENPORT / Getty Images It is not just you. Some of the written disclosures that hospitals hand out during their patient admission process are downright cryptic. Few people even realize what is ...