Plain-language guide
Living will vs. healthcare proxy — what's the difference?
They're easy to mix up, and the names don't help. The simplest way to hold them apart: aliving will says what care you'd want, and a healthcare proxy sayswho decides when no document has the answer. Together, they're your advance directive.
The healthcare proxy: who decides
A healthcare proxy names one person — your agent — to make medical decisions for you if you can't make or communicate them yourself. Its great strength is flexibility: a real person who knows you can weigh a situation no form could have predicted, ask the doctors questions, and choose the way you would have.
The living will: what you want
A living will (sometimes called a "directive to physicians") puts your wishes in writing for specific end-of-life situations — for example, whether you'd want to be kept on life support if you were terminally ill or permanently unconscious. It speaks for you when you can't, and just as importantly, it guides your proxy so they're not guessing.
Why most people want both
A living will can't cover every scenario, and a proxy without written guidance is left to interpret your wishes under pressure. Pair them and each fixes the other's gap: the living will handles the situations you can foresee, and the proxy handles everything else — with your written wishes as their compass. Many states even combine the two into a single advance-directive form.
Start with the proxy
If you only do one thing today, identify the person you trust and talk with them. For source-checked states, this site helps prepare your answers and links the official government form; the worksheet is not a legal document.
Prepare for your official healthcare-proxy form
Organize your answers privately, then complete the linked official form and follow every state instruction. Free, no account, no payment.
Common questions
Do I need both a living will and a healthcare proxy?
Most people benefit from both. A healthcare proxy names a trusted person to decide in any situation — including ones no document anticipated. A living will spells out your wishes for specific end-of-life situations, which gives your proxy clear guidance. Together they cover far more than either alone. Source: National Institute on Aging (NIH); MedlinePlus.
Is a healthcare proxy the same as a 'power of attorney'?
A healthcare (or 'medical') power of attorney is the same idea as a healthcare proxy — it names someone to make medical decisions for you. It's different from a financial power of attorney, which covers money and property. Names and forms vary by state. Source: American Bar Association.
What if my state combines them into one form?
Some states use a single 'advance directive' form that includes both an agent designation and treatment wishes. Use your state's current official form and follow its complete instructions. This site currently provides source-checked official links for New York and California and refuses to guess for other states.