Researching the Law in Your State

• 1). Search the web for information about your state's advance health care directive law. Websites published by your state government are generally more authoritative than those published by consumers.
  
  
• 2). Call the state bar, the authority that licenses attorneys in your state. Many state bars publish consumer-oriented information about creating advance directives. Some even publish fill-in-the-blank forms with instructions.
  
  
• 3). Visit your local library. Most libraries have a legal reference section that contains copies of current state law. Ask a librarian for help finding your state's advance directive law.
  
  

Considering Your Wishes

• 1). Consider the decisions your state will allow you to make in an advance directive. Some states allow more leeway than others. An advance directive that goes farther than your state allows will be void.
  
  
• 2). Discuss your wishes with your loved ones if you feel comfortable. Because these people may know you better than you know yourself, they can help you flesh out what is really important to you.
  
  
• 3). Consider appointing a close friend or family member as your health care proxy to make decisions for you when are unable to make them for yourself. You are not required to appoint a proxy, so you should do so only if you trust someone enough to carry out your wishes.
  
  

Writing Your Advance Directive

• 1). Find a form online that works in your state. State bar organizations and department of public health websites are good places to look. These forms usually come with detailed instructions that are easy to understand.
  
  
• 2). Fill in the blanks. Creating an advance directive is often as easy as checking the right boxes. Forms usually come with detailed instructions that are easy to understand, but do not be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
  
  
• 3). Sign your advance directive. Your state may require you to sign in front of one or more witnesses or a notary public.
  
  

Disseminating Your Advance Directive

• 1). Send a signed copy of your advance directive to your primary care doctor. This copy should be placed in your medical record.
  
  
• 2). File a copy of your advance directive in the probate court or public records office in your county. Filing in the official records of your county ensures that your advance directive can be retrieved if your original cannot be found.
  
  
• 3). Leave a copy of your advance directive with your personal effects and tell someone where to find it. Avoid leaving it in a safe deposit box. Access to safe deposit boxes can be tricky when the owner is incapacitated.