MAKE YOUR FREE Alaska Advance Directive
What is an Alaska Advance Directive?
The person making an Advance Directive is known as the "principal," while the individual or organization receiving authority to carry out the principal's wishes is known as the "agent." Suitable for residents of Alaska, this free Advance Directive is made for use in Matanuska-Susitna County, Fairbanks North Star County, Anchorage County, and in all other regions throughout the state. Any Alaska Advance Directive from Rocket Lawyer can be modified to address your unique circumstances. This official legal document provides verification of your preferences to medical providers, and it will confirm that your chosen agent has the authority to act in your interest.
When to use an Alaska Advance Directive:
- You're making sure your loved ones aren't put in the position of making important end-of-life healthcare decisions for you.
- You're about to draft a complete estate plan, and want to make sure life-sustaining treatments are covered.
Sample Alaska Advance Directive
The terms in your document will update based on the information you provide
Alaska Advance Directive FAQs
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How do I write an Advance Health Care Directive in Alaska?
It's quick and easy to document your medical preferences using a free Alaska Advance Directive template from Rocket Lawyer:
- Make your Advance Directive - Answer a few questions, and we will do the rest
- Send or share - Discuss the document with your healthcare agent(s) or get legal advice
- Sign and make it legal - Optional or not, witnesses and notarization are recommended
This method, in many cases, will end up being notably less expensive than hiring your average law firm. If necessary, you may prepare an Advance Directive on behalf of your spouse or another family member, and then have that person sign it after you've drafted it. Please note that for this document to be accepted as legally valid, the principal must be an adult who is mentally competent at the time of signing. If the principal is already incapacitated and unable to make their own decisions, a court-appointed conservatorship generally will be necessary. When dealing with such a scenario, it is a good idea for you to speak to an attorney .
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Why should I have an Advance Directive?
Every person over 18 should have an Advance Healthcare Directive (both a Living Will and a Healthcare Power of Attorney). Although it may be painful to acknowledge, there will likely come a time when you are not able to make healthcare decisions on your own. Here are some common situations in which it might be useful to make or update your Advance Directive:
- You are currently managing a terminal illness
- You are planning for an upcoming medical procedure or period of hospitalization
- You live in or are planning to move into an adult care facility
- You are aging or dealing with ongoing health issue
Regardless of whether your Alaska Advance Directive has been prepared as part of a long-term plan or created as a result of a recent change in your health, notarization and/or witnesses are highly encouraged for protecting your document if its validity is challenged by a third party.
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Do I need a lawyer for my Advance Directive in Alaska?
Making an Advance Directive is generally easy to do; however, you might have questions. Seeking out an attorney to review your Alaska Advance Directive could be costly. An easier and more cost-effective way to double-check your document is to request help from the Rocket Lawyer On Call® network of attorneys. As a Premium member, you can have your documents reviewed by an attorney with relevant experience. As always, you can rest assured that Rocket Lawyer is by your side.
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How much might I normally pay to make an Advance Directive in Alaska?
The fees associated with hiring a conventional law firm to write an Advance Directive can add up to anywhere from two hundred to one thousand dollars, depending on where you are located. Different from other Advance Directive template providers that you may come across, Rocket Lawyer offers members up to 40% in savings when hiring a lawyer, so an Rocket Lawyer network attorney can represent you if you ever need help.
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Would I have to do anything else after drafting an Alaska Advance Directive?
With a Premium membership, you can make edits, download it in PDF format or as a Word file, and print it. In order to make your Alaska Medical Directive into a truly legal document, you need to sign it. Your agent(s) and care providers should receive copies of the fully executed document.
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Does an Advance Directive need to be notarized or witnessed in Alaska?
The specifications and restrictions are different by state; however, in Alaska, your Advance Directive must be signed by two witnesses or notarized. Your witnesses should not be your healthcare provider or any employee of the institution or facility where you are receiving care. Only one witness can be someone who is an heir/beneficiary or who is otherwise legally related to you (such as a spouse or family member). As a basic principle, witnesses will need to be 18 years old or older, and none should also be named as your healthcare agent.