Medical Power of Attorney

Is there a free form for a medical power of attorney? If so, may I have a copy.

There is a sample form for a health care proxy, and a separate sample living will. There are several versions. The living will is a statement of your health care wishes and the heath care proxy or medical power of attorney (same thing, just different names for it) appoints a person to make medical decisions if you cannot do so. The medical power should give a broad list of powers and rights to your agent, and perhaps also restrict the agent's actions so that the agent doesn't violate your wishes. Be sure to address a broad range of wishes in your living will so your agent appointed under your medical power of attorney will know what you want. For more guidance and more sample forms, see the book "Living Wills and Health Care Proxies: Assuring Your End of Life Wishes are Respected". Authors are Shenkman and Klein. You can get it on www.amazon.com. Be REALLY carefully using any standard forms for this. Everyone has unique personal wishes and standard forms can be quite contrary to what you want. There is perhaps no legal document which should be more personalized than the living will and medical power (or health care proxy, whichever name you prefer). Good luck and let us know if you have any specific questions when you review the sample forms on the Estate Planning section of this web site.