Google
"Found Nicole online... thanks to her stellar reviews. Easy to work with, thorough, and pretty straightforward process. Would recommend."
VK
Vikas Khanna
Verified Google Review
Arizona Living Wills, Made Clear
A living will spells out your end-of-life healthcare wishes — so your family and doctors can honor them when you can't speak for yourself. Every Phoenix estate plan should include one.
What It Is
What is an Arizona Living Will?
A living will (sometimes referred to as an advance directive) is an estate planning document that states your healthcare preferences for end-of-life care. It comes into play when you are incapacitated and unable to communicate your decisions about end-of-life care.
Issues you can address in a living will include CPR, tube feeding, life support, ventilators, and palliative care (treatments to decrease pain and suffering).
A living will is a completely separate document from a last will and testament, which is primarily focused on how you want your property to be distributed at your death. A living will is only effective during your lifetime if you are incapacitated; after your death, it has no effect.
Why You Need One
Four reasons every Phoenix estate plan should include a living will.
Be Prepared for the Unexpected
If COVID taught us anything, it's that we need to be ready. Cognitive decline, illness, or sudden injury can leave anyone incapacitated at any time.
Your Wishes Will Be Followed
Most people have a sense of the care they'd want at the end of their life. A living will ensures those wishes are honored when you can't speak for yourself.
Reduce Stress on Your Family
Without a living will, family members can suffer guilt and conflict deciding what to do. Your written wishes give them comfort and clarity in a hard moment.
Preserve Your Estate
Many people create a living will to ensure their estate isn't depleted by extensive medical care when there's little hope of recovery — preserving a legacy for the next generation.
Legal Requirements
Arizona's rules for a valid living will.
01
Written, Dated, Signed
Your living will must clearly express the intent to create one, be dated, and signed by you.
02
Notary or Witness
It must be notarized or witnessed and signed by at least one adult.
03
Who Can't Be a Witness
Not your designated medical decision-maker, nor anyone directly providing your healthcare at the time it's executed.
After You Sign
What to do once your living will is in place.
Store the Original Safely
Keep the original in a safe but easily accessible place — not locked away where no one can find it in an emergency.
Share Copies With Key People
Provide copies to your medical providers, your healthcare agent and any alternates, and your attorney.
Review Every Few Years
Keep a record of who has your advance directives. You can change or revoke a living will any time — just give updated copies to your team and family.
Client Reviews
What Our Clients Say
Google
"Nicole and her team have been extremely helpful, knowledgeable, professional, and kind. We have such peace of mind going with Nicole."
SS
Shauna S.
Verified Google Review
Google
"From initial communication through final signatures and continued support — just fantastic. Recommend her 100% for your Phoenix, AZ estate planning attorney."
AP
Anthony Polletta
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole and her team are wonderful to work with because of their timeliness, expansive knowledge, and attention to detail."
DJ
Dylan Jones
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole and her staff did an excellent job of making a seemingly complex process simple. I would highly recommend her."
MA
Marc A. Morales De Castillo
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole's expertise and attention to detail in preparing our estate documents were commendable. They made the complex task of estate planning easy to navigate."
JC
Jim Cantwell
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole and her team supported very well in writing a will, it was pretty smooth and they were very transparent in explaining all the details."
DS
Durga Sirigirisetti
Verified Google Review
Google
"Every step of the process was a well-oiled machine. The process was easy to follow and seamless. Happy to recommend them to anyone."
MP
Melissa Panks
Verified Google Review
Google
"Found Nicole online... thanks to her stellar reviews. Easy to work with, thorough, and pretty straightforward process. Would recommend."
VK
Vikas Khanna
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole and her team have been extremely helpful, knowledgeable, professional, and kind. We have such peace of mind going with Nicole."
SS
Shauna S.
Verified Google Review
Google
"From initial communication through final signatures and continued support — just fantastic. Recommend her 100% for your Phoenix, AZ estate planning attorney."
AP
Anthony Polletta
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole and her team are wonderful to work with because of their timeliness, expansive knowledge, and attention to detail."
DJ
Dylan Jones
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole and her staff did an excellent job of making a seemingly complex process simple. I would highly recommend her."
MA
Marc A. Morales De Castillo
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole's expertise and attention to detail in preparing our estate documents were commendable. They made the complex task of estate planning easy to navigate."
JC
Jim Cantwell
Verified Google Review
Google
"Nicole and her team supported very well in writing a will, it was pretty smooth and they were very transparent in explaining all the details."
DS
Durga Sirigirisetti
Verified Google Review
Google
"Every step of the process was a well-oiled machine. The process was easy to follow and seamless. Happy to recommend them to anyone."
MP
Melissa Panks
Verified Google Review
Schedule a Consultation
Peace of mind starts with a conversation.
Tell us a little about what's on your mind. Nicole will personally review your message and reach out to schedule your virtual consultation.