The best examples of frequently asked questions about living wills in 2025

Real‑world examples of frequently asked questions about living wills

When people first hear the term “living will,” they don’t ask for statutes and case law. They ask human questions. Here are some of the best examples of frequently asked questions about living wills that come up in real conversations with families, doctors, and attorneys.

One common example of a question sounds like this: “If I’m in a coma after a car accident, can my family stop life support if there’s no hope?” That’s a classic living will scenario. The person wants to know whether a document can spell out their wishes about ventilators, feeding tubes, and resuscitation.

Another real example: “My mom has early Alzheimer’s. Is it too late for her to sign a living will?” This is about capacity — whether the person still understands what they’re signing. It’s less about forms and more about timing.

A third example of a frequently asked question: “Is a living will the same thing as a DNR?” Short answer: no. A living will can address a wide range of treatment decisions, while a Do Not Resuscitate order is a very specific medical order about CPR.

These are just a few examples of examples of frequently asked questions about living wills that show up in 2024–2025 as people juggle aging parents, serious diagnoses, and more aggressive medical technology.

Examples include medical treatment questions people actually ask

When you look at the examples of frequently asked questions about living wills that doctors and lawyers hear most, you’ll notice a pattern: people want to know how far medicine will go, and how to put limits on it.

Some of the strongest examples include questions about:

• Life support and ventilators. A patient scheduled for heart surgery might ask, “If I’m on a ventilator and the doctors say there’s no meaningful recovery, can I say in my living will that I want the machine turned off?” A living will can absolutely address that, usually in a section about life‑sustaining treatment.

• Artificial nutrition and hydration. Families often remember high‑profile cases like Terri Schiavo and ask, “Can I say I don’t want a feeding tube if I’m permanently unconscious?” This is a textbook example of something that belongs in a living will.

• Resuscitation and CPR. Someone with advanced heart disease may ask, “Can I refuse CPR in my living will?” The answer is nuanced: your living will can express that wish, but you usually also need a specific DNR or POLST/MOLST form signed by a doctor. The National Institutes of Health explains how these documents fit together in the broader category of advance care planning.

• Pain management and comfort care. In 2025, more people ask, “Can I say I want maximum pain relief, even if it might shorten my life?” Yes, most living will templates now include language about comfort‑focused care, palliative care, and hospice.

• Pregnancy‑related treatment. Younger adults sometimes ask, “If I’m pregnant and something happens, can I say I still want life‑support to protect the baby?” or the opposite. Many states have special rules about pregnancy and advance directives, so this is an example of a question where local law really matters.

These real examples show that living wills are not abstract documents; they are written answers to the hardest medical questions you hope you never face.

For a medical perspective on these treatments and end‑of‑life choices, sites like Mayo Clinic and MedlinePlus (run by the U.S. National Library of Medicine) offer clear, evidence‑based explanations.

Example of financial and legal questions tied to living wills

When people look for examples of examples of frequently asked questions about living wills, they’re not just thinking about medical decisions. They’re also worrying about money, paperwork, and who’s in charge.

A very common example of a question: “Does a living will control my money if I’m incapacitated?” No. A living will handles medical treatment decisions. Financial decisions usually fall under a separate document, like a durable power of attorney.

Another example of a frequently asked question: “If I have a living will, do I still need a healthcare power of attorney or healthcare proxy?” In most states, yes. A living will tells doctors what you want; a healthcare proxy or agent is the person who speaks for you when new situations come up that your document doesn’t cover.

People also ask: “Can my family override my living will?” In theory, the answer is no: if the document is valid, doctors are supposed to follow it. In practice, hospitals sometimes try to find a middle ground when families are very upset. This is one of the best examples of why it’s smart to talk through your wishes with your family before you sign anything, not after a crisis.

Another real example: “Is my online living will valid in my state?” With the rise of digital legal services, more people are using online templates. Some states now recognize electronic signatures or remote notarization; others are stricter. The American Bar Association offers tools and state‑by‑state guidance to help you check local rules.

Health trends in 2024–2025: new examples of questions people ask

Medical practice doesn’t stand still, and neither do the examples of frequently asked questions about living wills. In 2024–2025, several trends are driving new concerns:

• Telehealth and remote care. People now ask, “If I’m treated by a telehealth doctor in another state, will they see my living will?” The answer depends on how your documents are stored. Many hospital systems now scan advance directives into electronic health records, but that doesn’t automatically mean an out‑of‑network telehealth provider can see them.

• Digital storage and apps. A newer example of a question: “Is a photo of my signed living will on my phone good enough?” Legally, the original signed document (or a certified copy) is still the gold standard, but having a digital copy can help doctors act faster while someone locates the original.

• Cross‑border and interstate care. Retirees who split time between states, or people who travel for medical treatment, ask, “Will my living will from Florida work if I’m hospitalized in New York?” In the U.S., most states honor out‑of‑state advance directives if they were valid where signed, but not every detail will match local forms. This is a textbook example of when to show your paperwork to a doctor or attorney in each state where you spend significant time.

• Younger adults and serious illness. Since COVID‑19, more people in their 20s and 30s are asking for living wills. A typical example: “I’m healthy, but I saw what happened to a friend on a ventilator. Can I write a living will that only kicks in for extreme situations?” Yes — the document only applies when you cannot communicate and meet the state’s definition of terminal condition, permanent unconsciousness, or similar triggers.

These newer real examples reflect a world where medicine is more technologically advanced, but also more fragmented. A well‑written living will is one way to keep your wishes from getting lost in that maze.

Best examples of clauses people want in a living will

When someone asks for examples of examples of frequently asked questions about living wills, what they often really want is: “What should I actually say in this thing?” Here are some of the best examples of the kinds of clauses people ask about and choose to include.

1. Life‑sustaining treatment limitations
People often want language like: “If I am in a permanent vegetative state with no reasonable chance of recovery, I do not want life‑sustaining treatment such as ventilators, dialysis, or artificial nutrition and hydration, except as needed for comfort.” This is an example of a clause that directly answers the coma/ICU scenario families fear most.

2. Pain relief and comfort‑focused care
A real example: someone with advanced cancer might say, “I want medications and treatments that maximize my comfort, even if they may hasten my death.” Many standard forms now include a comfort‑care section because this is one of the most common modern questions.

3. Organ donation preferences
Another example of a frequently asked question: “Can I combine my living will with organ donation instructions?” In many states, yes. People often include a clause authorizing organ and tissue donation, or they reference their driver’s license donor status or a separate donor registry.

4. Religious or cultural guidance
Some people want their living will to say, “I request that my healthcare providers consult with my rabbi/imam/priest or another spiritual advisor if time permits before making end‑of‑life decisions.” This is a strong example of how a living will can reflect more than just medical preferences.

5. Preferences about place of care
A growing example in 2024–2025: “If possible, I prefer to die at home rather than in a hospital, with hospice support if appropriate.” This reflects the increasing use of home‑based hospice and palliative care programs across the U.S.

For more sample language and tools, the National Institute on Aging’s page on advance care planning offers worksheets and questions to consider.

Examples include state‑specific and international questions

Because laws vary, some of the examples of frequently asked questions about living wills are very local.

In the United States, a typical example: “Does my state require witnesses or a notary?” Some states require two witnesses; others allow notarization instead; a few prefer both. People also ask, “Can my healthcare agent be a witness?” Often the answer is no.

Another U.S.‑based example: “Is a POLST or MOLST form the same as a living will?” These are medical orders for seriously ill patients, signed by a doctor or nurse practitioner, and they work alongside — not instead of — a living will. States like California and New York have widely adopted these forms.

Internationally, people ask things like: “Does the UK recognize living wills?” In England and Wales, the term is usually advance decision or advance statement, and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 sets the rules. Someone in Canada might ask, “Is it called a living will here, or an advance directive?” The names and technical rules change, but the core idea — writing down your treatment wishes in advance — is the same.

These real examples show why it’s smart to check local requirements rather than assuming one template fits every jurisdiction.

How to use these examples when creating your own living will

Seeing examples of examples of frequently asked questions about living wills is helpful, but the real value comes when you turn those questions into your own answers.

A practical way to use these examples:

• Start with the scenarios that scare you most — long‑term coma, advanced dementia, late‑stage cancer, traumatic brain injury. Ask yourself what you would want in each situation.
• Translate those preferences into clear statements about life support, feeding tubes, CPR, and pain relief.
• Decide who you trust to speak for you when your document doesn’t cover every detail, and appoint that person as your healthcare proxy or agent.
• Talk through your answers with that person and your close family so your living will doesn’t come as a shock.
• Make sure your signed document is easy to find: give copies to your agent, your primary care doctor, and any specialists, and ask that it be added to your electronic health record.

If you want structured help turning these real examples into a personalized plan, the American Bar Association’s Consumer’s Toolkit for Health Care Advance Planning offers worksheets that walk you through the values and trade‑offs behind each decision.

FAQ: examples of common questions about living wills

What are some examples of situations where a living will applies?
Examples include being in a permanent coma after a car accident, late‑stage dementia where you can no longer recognize family or make decisions, terminal cancer where treatment is only prolonging dying, or severe stroke with no realistic chance of recovery. In these situations, a living will can guide decisions about ventilators, feeding tubes, dialysis, and CPR.

Can you give an example of language that refuses life support?
One example of clear wording: “If I am in a terminal condition or permanently unconscious, and my doctors agree there is no reasonable chance of recovery, I do not want life‑sustaining treatment, including mechanical ventilation, dialysis, or artificial nutrition and hydration, except as needed to keep me comfortable.” Your exact language should follow your state’s form, but this shows the tone and level of detail.

Are online templates good examples of living wills I can use?
Some online templates follow state law and offer decent starting points, especially when they’re from hospitals, bar associations, or government agencies. Others are generic and may not match your jurisdiction. Use them as examples, not as a guarantee. Check whether your state has its own official form on a .gov site or through a major healthcare system.

What are examples of people who benefit most from having a living will?
Examples include older adults with chronic illnesses like heart failure or COPD, people facing major surgery, anyone with a strong preference about life support (either for or against), and caregivers of aging parents who want to avoid family conflict. Increasingly, healthy adults in their 20s–40s are completing living wills as part of basic life planning, alongside a will and life insurance.

Does a living will cover mental health treatment, and can you give an example?
Standard living wills focus on medical treatment at the end of life, not psychiatric care. Some states offer separate psychiatric advance directives. For example, someone with bipolar disorder might write: “If I become unable to make informed decisions during a manic or psychotic episode, I consent to treatment with [specific medications] and prefer hospital A over hospital B.” That’s a different but related document.

If you use these examples of frequently asked questions about living wills as a checklist, you’ll notice the same themes repeat: Who decides? How far should treatment go? Where do my values fit into all this technology? Answer those clearly, in writing, and you’re ahead of most people — and you’ve done a real favor for the people who love you.