Life care and estate planning is important for every Marylander. Regardless of income, wealth or assets, you have the right to make decisions about how your health care and financial affairs will be handled if you lose the capacity to make your own decisions. In addition, you have every right to decide who should receive your personal belongings and property after you die. It may be uncomfortable planning for these things, but it is an important step to help your family and caretakers when you may be unable to do so. If you do not make these decisions ahead of time, they may be decided for you and may not reflect your wishes.

Common life planning documents include:

• Advance Directive (also called a Living Will)
• Health Care Power of Attorney
• Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST)
• Financial Power of Attorney
• Standby Guardian Designations
• Last Will and Testament
• Trust

Consider having at least the following essential documents:

• Advance Directive
• Health Care Power of Attorney
• Financial Power of Attorney
• Last Will and Testament

Talk to your doctor about completing a MOLST form if you do not want CPR or other life support measures taken because of your current medical condition.

This article was adapted from the Life and Health Planning Handbook created by the Life and Health Planning Committee of the Maryland Attorney General's Covid-19 Access to Justice Taskforce.