By Corcoran Smith Law Corp. · Updated
California Advance Health Care Directive & Living Will
An advance health care directive records health care wishes and can name someone to make health care decisions for you. People also search for this planning as a living will. Ask about preparing or reviewing a California directive as part of your estate plan, with a free first consultation about the legal documents you need.
Make room for a conversation about your wishes before someone else has to guess. You can ask for help with the legal document while discussing treatment preferences with your health care provider and the people you trust.
A living will is about health care wishes
The phrase living will is commonly used for written health care instructions. It is a different planning question from a will distributing property after death. Use the will-preparation page if you want to discuss who inherits; use this page to ask about health care instructions and an agent.
Choosing a health care agent
Think about who understands your wishes, can communicate them and would be willing to take on the role. Discuss an alternate and ask how the directive would express your instructions. Talk through the choices with the person you hope to name.
Put your wishes into a conversation and a document
- Discuss treatment questions and preferences with your health care provider.
- Tell the attorney what instructions you want the legal document to address.
- Ask about execution, copies and who should receive the completed directive.
- Bring an older directive if your wishes or agent choices have changed.
How a directive fits the rest of your plan
Ask about coordinating the directive with your will, living trust and financial power of attorney. Each addresses a different decision. You can discuss a directive on its own or as part of a review of the documents you already have.
What a California advance directive can cover
An advance health care directive can describe treatment preferences and name a health care agent. The California Attorney General recommends discussing wishes and sharing copies with the agent, health care providers and other trusted people who may be involved in an emergency. The document supports communication of those wishes; medical treatment questions belong in a conversation with a health care provider.
Sources: California Attorney General — Advance care planning · Verified 2026-10-23.
What does it cost, and what is included?
Ask what preparing or reviewing a directive includes, how signing is arranged and whether it forms part of a wider estate-planning engagement. The first consultation is free; confirm the scope and fees for further legal work.
What to bring to your first conversation
- Any current directive or other health care planning documents.
- The agent and alternate you are considering.
- Questions about recording your wishes, sharing copies or updating the document.
You can call before gathering every document. The website form needs only your name and a phone number or email; save private documents and account details for the firm’s instructions.
Understand your options before deciding
See all estate-planning options, including:
Nicholas Jacobs lists estate planning, inheritance disputes and beneficiary rights in his practice. Read the team’s background and ask who would handle your planning work.
The attorneys behind this resource
Enquiries through California Inheritance Law go to Corcoran Smith Law Corp. Review the attorney profiles and State Bar records, then ask who would handle your matter and what experience they have with your particular issue.
Read the team’s background and how this site prepares its legal information. Representation requires a conflict check and a written engagement; contacting the firm does not guarantee acceptance.
Common questions
Is a living will the same as a will leaving property to my family?
No. Living-will searches concern health care instructions. A will that addresses your property after death is a separate document and is covered by the will-preparation page.
Can I discuss updating an older advance directive?
Yes. Bring the existing document and explain any changes in your wishes or the people you want involved. Ask what a review and update would include.
Before you call: How a living trust works · Understanding a will