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Date: 04/14/2026

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Estates & Powers of Attorney

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Living wills and other health directives

Advanced health directives document how a person wants to receive health care or life-sustaining treatment if they are no longer able to express their wishes. Learn more about living wills and other health directives here.

Living wills
(4 resources)
Living Will basics
Learn about using a Living Will to share your wishes about death-delaying medical care with your doctor if you are terminally ill.
Guide
Living wills
Learn who can make a Living Will, when it can be used, and how it is different from other advance directives.
FAQ
How to create a Living Will
Discover the steps to create a Living Will, who you should share your Living Will with, and how to cancel a Living Will.
How-To
Living will
This Easy Form helps you say what medical treatment you do and do not want when you are terminally ill and cannot make your own medical decisions.
Easy Form
View all
Other end-of-life decision making
(4 resources)
Planning for loss of health or life
Learn about advanced planning options for your health care so you can ensure your wishes are known for future decisions.
FAQ
Using the POLST form for end of life decision making
Explains the POLST form, which can be used to plan end-of-life medical care. POLST stands for Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment.
FAQ
Health care surrogate legal questions
Explains how someone can make medical decisions for another individual who is unable to make such decisions.
Text article
Declaration for Mental Health Treatment
Explains the basics about Declaration for Mental Health Treatment forms, including how to complete a declaration.
Text article
View all
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© 2026 Illinois Legal Aid Online. 
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ILAO is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. ILAO's tax identification number is 20-2917133.