Estate Planning · DuPage County, Illinois
Wills, trusts, and the planning that keeps your family in control and out of court, from the same DuPage County firm since 1990.
Most healthcare crises happen suddenly — and most people haven’t put their wishes in writing. The result is families fighting at the hospital over what their loved one would have wanted, often without any guidance at all. Advance directives prevent that.
Illinois recognizes several types of advance directives, each addressing a different aspect of medical decision-making. We draft them as a coordinated package — living will, healthcare POA, HIPAA authorization, and POLST if appropriate — so when something happens, your family knows exactly what to do.
Illinois recognizes several distinct medical directive documents. Most people need a combination.
Specifies your wishes about life-sustaining treatment if you’re terminally ill or permanently unconscious. Becomes the standing instruction.
Names an agent to make medical decisions for you in real time. Complements the living will.
Allows your designated people to access your medical information. Without this, providers may refuse to share even basic updates.
Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment — for those with serious illness, it’s a doctor’s order EMS and hospitals must follow.
Specifies treatment preferences if you become unable to make psychiatric care decisions.
Documents your organ and tissue donation wishes more comprehensively than a driver’s license designation.
Without your wishes in writing, family members often disagree about treatment — and grief gets channeled into conflict.
Hospitals default to providing all available care unless directives say otherwise. That’s not always what you want.
Without HIPAA authorization, hospitals may not even confirm to your siblings that you’ve been admitted.
Severe disputes can end up in court, with judges deciding treatment for someone they’ve never met.
Asking a spouse to decide about life support without prior conversation is one of the hardest moments imaginable. Spare them that.
Standard hospital protocols may not align with your beliefs. Directives let you specify.
From our Villa Park office, we represent clients across DuPage County and the western suburbs of Chicago.
A living will is your standing instruction about specific situations — usually whether to use life-sustaining treatment if you’re terminal or permanently unconscious. A healthcare POA names an agent who can make real-time decisions in any medical situation. Most people need both.
Yes — and it’s the document most often missed. Healthcare POA grants decision authority but not necessarily access to medical records. A specific HIPAA authorization lets your spouse, adult children, or agent get information from providers.
Illinois requires two adult witnesses. They cannot be your healthcare provider, an employee of a health facility where you’re receiving care, or the person you’ve named as healthcare agent. Notarization is recommended.
Yes — anytime while you’re competent. New directives generally supersede old ones; we recommend updating after major life events (diagnosis of serious illness, change in family, change in beliefs).
Most states honor out-of-state directives, but some require their own state’s form. If you spend significant time in another state, executing that state’s directive too is the safest path.
Absolutely. Documents nobody knows about are useless in a crisis. We help you provide copies to your family, primary care doctor, and any specialists treating chronic conditions.
These conversations are hard. Having them once — and documenting them properly — spares your family from having them at the worst possible time.