MAKE YOUR FREE Maine Advance Directive
What is a Maine Advance Directive?
The individual making an Advance Directive is called the "principal," and the individuals or entities receiving permission to carry out the principal's wishes are known as "agents." Suited for residents of Maine, this Advance Directive is made for use in York County, Penobscot County, Cumberland County, and in every other part of the state. Each Maine Advance Directive from Rocket Lawyer can be tailored to address your specific scenario. As a result of having this legal document, your healthcare institutions will have a point of reference for your decisions, and your agent(s) will be able to offer confirmation that they have been authorized to act in your interest.
When to use a Maine 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 Maine Advance Directive
The terms in your document will update based on the information you provide
Maine Advance Directive FAQs
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How do I write an Advance Health Care Directive in Maine?
It is quick and easy to set forth your medical wishes using a free Maine Advance Directive template from Rocket Lawyer:
- Make your Advance Directive - Answer a few simple questions, and we will do the rest
- Send or share - Discuss the document with your healthcare agent(s) or ask a legal question
- Sign it and make it legal - Required or not, notarization/witnesses are a best practice
This route, in most cases, would be notably more affordable than hiring and working with the average law firm. If needed, you may start an Advance Directive on behalf of a family member, and then help them sign when ready. Please remember that for this document to be considered legally valid, the principal must be a mentally competent adult when they sign. In the event that the principal has already been declared legally incompetent, a conservatorship may be required. In this scenario, it is important to speak to a lawyer .
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Do I need to have an Advance Directive?
If you are over 18 years old, you ought to have an Advance Healthcare Directive (both a Living Will and a Healthcare Power of Attorney). Even though it's unpleasant to acknowledge, a day will likely come when you cannot make your own healthcare decisions. Here are some common occasions where you might consider it useful to make or update your Advance Directive:
- You expect to undergo a medical procedure that requires anesthesia
- You are getting older or dealing with ongoing health issues
- You are currently managing a terminal condition
- You are preparing to live in a community care facility
Regardless of whether this Maine Advance Directive is being drafted as part of a forward-looking plan or made in response to a change in your health, notarization and/or witnesses can help to protect your document if anyone challenges its credibility.
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Do I need an attorney for my Advance Directive in Maine?
Making an Advance Directive is usually straightforward; however, you or your agent(s) may have questions. The answer may vary depending on whom you reach out to, but often some lawyers may not even agree to review documents that they did not draft. An easier approach worth consideration is to go through the Rocket Lawyer On Call® attorney network. When you become a Premium member, you can ask for feedback from an Rocket Lawyer network attorney with relevant experience or ask additional legal questions related to your Advance Directive. As always, we're here to support you.
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What would I usually have to pay to make an Advance Directive in Maine?
The cost of finding and working with a traditional law firm to draft an Advance Directive might total anywhere between $200 and $1,000, depending on where you are located. Rocket Lawyer is not a run-of-the-mill Advance Directive template website. With us, anyone under a Premium membership has access to up to 40% in savings when hiring an attorney.
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What should I do after making a Maine Advance Directive?
After making this document with the help of Rocket Lawyer, you'll have the ability to view it wherever and whenever you choose. With a membership, you will be able to make edits, download it in PDF format or as a Word file, and/or sign it. Attached alongside each Maine Advance Directive, there's a series of instructions that you will need to finalize your document. You should make sure to provide a final copy of your signed document to your agent(s), care providers, and other impacted parties.
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Does an Advance Directive need to be notarized or witnessed in Maine?
The specifications and restrictions governing Advance Directives vary by state; however, in Maine, your document needs to be signed by two witnesses. As a general standard, your witnesses should not be under the age of 18, and none of them should simultaneously be acting as your healthcare agent.