Convey your medical wishes with a living will

Complete a living will quickly, and take control of your health care when you can’t speak for yourself. Want expert help? Get access to step-by-step help from experienced attorneys. Living wills start at $39.

Why use LegalZoom to create your living will?

Easy & convenient

Complete our living will questionnaire in less than 15 minutes from the comfort of your home. No trips to lawyers’ offices needed.

Attorney-supported

Access guidance from highly-rated, vetted network attorneys, who can help you create and review your living will.

Accepted in all 50 states

Feel secure knowing that our living wills are attorney-created—and that we've helped people with their estate plans for 20+ years.

Priced according to your needs

Do it yourself

Basic
Living Will

$39

Get a personalized living will using our online questionnaire.

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Attorney Assist

Adeel, attorney serving TX

Comprehensive
Living Will

$49

Get a living will—plus, legal advice for 2 weeks after purchase.

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Attorney Assist

Adeel, attorney serving TX
BEST VALUE

Estate Plan
Bundle

$249

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Get 3 essential estate planning documents, including living will—plus, legal advice for 1 year.

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How to create your living will with LegalZoom in 3 easy steps

Answer some quick questions

Provide instructions about the medical care you do or don't want to receive, assign a healthcare power of attorney, and outline your wishes.

We'll create your living will

Let us build a living will that clarifies your health care wishes based on your answers to our online questionnaire.

Review with help—or on your own

Go over your complete living will with an attorney from our network. Or review everything on your own.

What is a living will?

Living wills are written, legal instructions that outline your medical care preferences if you’re unable to communicate or make decisions for yourself. A living will guides the choices of medical professionals and caregivers if you’re in a coma or during end-of-life care. You can also appoint someone to make health care decisions on your behalf.

Why do I need a living will?

Living wills aren’t just for older adults. Unexpected end-of-life situations can happen at any age. It's important all adults participate in advance care planning to give loved ones peace of mind and ensure your wishes are understood.

Speak when you can't

Choose the medical treatment you want to receive even if you can’t speak up with a living will.

Provide peace of mind

Ease unnecessary stress for your family members and loved ones, and help avoid disputes over your medical treatment.

Appoint representative

Select someone you trust as your healthcare power of attorney, helping ensure medical professionals respect your wishes.

Save on medical costs

Save money on costly health care treatments you don't want and haven’t agreed to in advance.

What do I write in a living will?

As you write your living will, consider:

  • What end of life medical treatments you would and wouldn't want
  • Who you want to make medical decisions on your behalf if you’re unable
  • Your preferences around comfort care, bodily donations, and posthumous decisions

Benefits of a living will

A living will gives you the power to choose the medical treatment you do and don't want even if you can't talk to your doctors or caregivers. Take part in advance care planning and create advance care directives that work for you.

Ensure you receive the health care you want even if you become unconscious or incapacitated

Appoint someone you trust to carry out your wishes, improving your peace of mind

Reduce confusion or disagreement about decisions made on your behalf at the end of life

Living wills vs. last wills

Living will and last will might sound similar, but these estate planing documents have very different uses. While a living will is a kind of advance directive that outlines your health care preferences if you’re unable to communicate, a last will and testament deals more directly with death, including what happens to your assets.

Living will

  • Explains what medical treatments you would and wouldn’t want if you were unable to communicate
  • Typically allows you to appoint a power of attorney to communicate your wishes
  • Details your preferences around posthumous decisions, including bodily donation

Last will

  • Puts a plan in place for distributing your assets and property after your death
  • Outlines your final wishes, including funeral arrangements
  • Lets you choose a trusted guardian for your minor children if both parents die

Should I use a living will form to create my living will?

Our living will forms were created by attorneys and have been accepted in all 50 states.

For additional guidance, you may want help from an attorney experienced in this area of the law. Our network attorneys can ensure your living will:

  • Meets all state requirements
  • Matches your personal preferences
  • Holds up to legal and medical scrutiny

While a living will form can be a helpful template for a living will, it doesn’t provide much personalization and may require additional customization, legal advice, and a notary public to complete.

When should I create my living will?

Now. As long as you’re over 18, there is no reason to wait. You never know when life-changing events could occur.

Make sure you’ve communicated your medical wishes, including for end of life care, so family members don't have to make those difficult decisions for you.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to start your living will?

Start my living will

What our customers are saying

The finished document looks very professional. It included everything I needed, and it was completed quickly.
Linda M., living will customer
The living will process was easy to understand and led me logically and quickly through the necessary steps, including the signing process.
Cindy K., living will customer
It took less than 10 minutes to complete and the documents were ready to download and print within minutes.
Marci S., living will customer

Questions?

Ask an attorney

Get the right guidance with an attorney by your side.

Call an agent at (866) 679-1568

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Weekends: 7 a.m.–4 p.m. PT

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