Video Summary
What’s the difference between a will and a living will? A will says that I devise and leave everything that I own to my beloved spouse or names a beneficiary and deals with the leaving behind of your property, leaving your property to whoever you would like whenever you pass away. A living will is a dying declaration that says that you do not want your life prolonged artificially.
Florida statutes have set forth three areas, three time periods in which you can direct and authorize life support to be discontinued: one is if you have an end-stage condition, which is really when you’re in the dying process; two is if you have a terminal condition; and three is if you have a permanent vegetative state. All of these circumstances are whenever you’re unconscious. And therefore you have to leave directions behind and the medical community must make the determination that you have any one of these three conditions. And then they turn to whoever you designate in your living will to make the decision to terminate life support. And then you’re on your own and usually when you remove the ventilators, well then you pass away without any assistance.
So the will leaves behind your property to whoever you designate. A living will is whenever you’re in the twilight time of your life and you’re authorizing that the plug be disconnected or that you do not want life-saving or mechanical ventilators to sustain your life mechanically. I think it’s ‘artificially’ continue your life.
So if you have any questions about a will or a living will, well, give me a call at 727-847-2288. Thank you.