Estate Planning
Advance Health Care Directives
An advance directive records your medical wishes and names the person who speaks for you when you cannot speak for yourself.
Hawaii combines the living will and the health care power of attorney into a single instrument: the advance health care directive. It does two things. It states what kind of care you do and do not want, and it names an agent to make decisions in the situations no document could anticipate.
The second part is the one families feel most. A directive spares the people who love you from guessing — and from arguing with each other — in a hospital corridor. It is the least expensive document we prepare and often the most valuable.
We also make sure the directive actually reaches the people who need it. A perfect document in a safe deposit box helps no one at 2 a.m.
What’s Included
What this covers
Health care agent designation
Your primary agent and alternates, with the scope of authority you are comfortable granting.
Treatment instructions
Your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatment, artificial nutrition and hydration, and pain management.
HIPAA authorization
Written permission for your agent and family to receive medical information — without it, providers may lawfully refuse.
Anatomical gift and disposition wishes
Your preferences on organ donation and final arrangements, recorded so no one has to guess.
Distribution to your care team
Guidance on getting copies to your physician, your hospital, and every person named in the document.
Worth Thinking About
Decisions we’ll work through together
POLST is a different document
A Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment form is a medical order signed with your physician for people with serious illness. It complements a directive; it does not replace one.
Talk to your agent first
The conversation matters more than the signature. We give clients a framework for having it.
Adult children need these too
Once a child turns eighteen, parents lose the automatic right to medical information. A directive and HIPAA release restores it.
Common Questions
Frequently asked
Will Hawaii hospitals honor a directive from another state?+
Generally yes, but forms and defaults differ. If you have moved here, it is worth executing a Hawaii directive.
Can I change my mind?+
At any time, and you do not need a lawyer to revoke one. We help you replace it cleanly so there is no conflicting document in circulation.
Does my spouse automatically have this authority?+
Hawaii has a surrogate decision-making framework, but it is a default, not a designation. Naming your agent explicitly removes the ambiguity.
Plan for Your Future Today
Planning for the future can feel overwhelming. Our team will guide you through it step by step — and leave you with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family and your assets are protected.
Complimentary initial consultation · Flat-fee quotes · In person on Maui or by video