Tips on Living Wills

A living will should be a separate document from your last will and testament because it serves a different purpose. A last will and testament takes effect after your death, whereas a living will comes into play while you are still alive but in an incapacitated state. All a living will has to say is something like: “When I’m no longer able to make decisions on my own behalf and express my own preferences and I am dependent on life support, I want treatment to be discontinued.” Because there is no law in South Africa on living wills, it is best to have two witnesses see you sign, to pre-empt any challenges down the line.