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Advance Directive Mistakes to Avoid Mistake #1: Forgetting to Sign the Form. Mistake #2: Asking Medical Staff to Witness the Signature. Mistake #3: Using a Healthcare Agent as a Witness. Mistake #4: Listing Two Equal Healthcare Agents. Mistake #5: Not Choosing the Best Agent. Mistake #6: Not Documenting Your Wishes.

Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of the various advance directives and how they might be used to best enact your medical treatment wishes. Completing a living will and durable power of attorney for health care is a great way to jump-start your overall estate plan.

A living will is a written, legal document that spells out medical treatments you would and would not want to be used to keep you alive, as well as your preferences for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation.

If you do not have an advance directive and you are unable to make decisions on your own, the state laws where you live will determine who may make medical decisions on your behalf. This is typically your spouse, your parents if they are available, or your children if they are adults.

Living wills and advance directives outline medical preferences in the case of an emergency. However, they go about it in slightly different ways: Area of authority: Advance directives aren't limited to terminal illnesses. Number allowed: You can use multiple advance directives but only one living will.

Two witnesses must watch you sign your health care proxy form and say that you appeared to sign willingly. Neither your agent nor your alternate agent can serve as a witness. You do not need to have the form notarized.

Physician barriers to completing an advance directive include lack of time and discomfort with the topic. On the patient's part, lack of knowledge, fear of burdening family, and a desire to have the physician initiate the discussion are common barriers.

What is included in an advance directive? Living Will. A living will is a written document that specifies what medical treatment you would or would not want in the event you are in a terminal condition or a persistent vegetative state. Power of Attorney. Health Care Instructions.

Advantages of Health Care Directives Autonomy in Health Care Decisions. Reducing Burden on Family. Clarity for Health Care Providers. Potential to Avoid Unwanted Treatments. Complexity in Making Decisions. Legal and Medical Misunderstandings. Emotional Difficulty. Need for Regular Updates.