Item: Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC
Rating: 5
Author: J.G., Greensboro, GA

What is the difference between a Will and a Living Will?

Last Will Testament In a Will, otherwise known as a Last Will and Testament, you provide for the disposition of your property after you die.

A Will is a legal document that lays out your wishes clearly and precisely related to distribution of your assets after you pass away. Additionally, a Will can appoint guardians for minor children.

In your Will, you will choose your executor, whose responsibilities will include managing your affairs, paying outstanding taxes and debts, and making distributions as appropriate to those entitled to a share of your estate after you die. (If you don't have a Will, the state will determine who will receive your assets.)

A Living Will is not the same as a Will nor does it serve the same purpose.

A Living Will is a type of advance medical directive. It permits you to make medical decisions in advance so that in the event you become incapacitated, your wishes are known.

The Living Will is the most common advance medical directive and applies specifically to your wishes that pertain to end-of-life decisions.

In Connecticut, in order for your Living Will to be operative, you must be unable to make informed decisions and you must be either in a terminal condition or permanently unconscious. These criteria are determined by the attending physician.

If the Living Will is operative, then life support systems can be withheld or withdrawn including artificial means of nutrition and hydration. Certain formalities must be complied with when you sign or revoke a Living Will. Otherwise, it is possible that the Living Will may not be legally valid.

If you need assistance in creating or reviewing your Will and advance healthcare directives, contact us. We would be happy to help.

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“I cannot find the words to thank all of you properly for your hard work and perseverance. It is a great relief to have gotten a just and proper ruling from the court. All of you have shown great professionalism and concern for the issues I brought before you.” J.G., Greensboro, GA

“All dealings have been excellent. Very professional organization. Great explanations of our options related to preparing a will. Clear, concise, great guidance and not trying to "sell us" on something we do not need. Administrative folks were super. All of our related paperwork was clearly tagged with what we needed to provide/sign/read /etc. Made things easy. Nice work.” L.G., Berlin, CT

“We loved working with your firm and really trust the advice. You have a well-deserved reputation and it was nice to check off a number of things that had been on our To-Do list. Although it's hard to make the time to take care of some of these matters, it is a great relief when you do so. I would definitely recommend your firm to anyone in need of the services that you provide.” L.M., Simsbury, CT

Everyone at the firm were consummate professionals. We felt completely comfortable with their guidance and were impressed by their compassion and commitment to us. R.H., Canton, CT

The attorney who served us was kind, thorough, and very responsive. He pointed out some issues in my mother's documents that could have been problematic down the road. After my mother passed, everything was as seamless as possible - a true gift at a time when life and death decisions were being made and emotions were overwhelming. J.B., Cromwell, CT

Great service, was on top of everything. I'm glad they were there to help us though a tough time. J.M., Farmington, CT

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