Protect yourself and each other from misfortune and illness. Create a living will, like Abby did.

Nearly 1 million people have a living will. In 2020, approximately 200,000 Dutch people had a living will drawn up.

Imagine something happens to you. An accident or illness changes your life dramatically, and you're temporarily unable to make independent decisions. Who will make those decisions for you? And what are your personal, medical, and financial choices? You record this in a living will, so your loved ones know what to do. One million people have already done so: they recorded their wishes with a notary. Is this something for you too?

What is a living will?

80% of Dutch people are familiar with the term "living will." But do you know exactly what it means? A living will is different from a will. A living will applies during your lifetime in situations where, for whatever reason, you can no longer make your own decisions. You might not often think about it, but it can happen to anyone, regardless of your age. A living will often consists of two powers of attorney: one for your financial interests and one for medical and personal matters.

In your living will, you appoint a trusted person to act on your behalf. This could be your partner or a child, or someone else entirely. The most important thing is that you have complete confidence in this person.

It's also wise to arrange for some form of supervision over the execution of your living will: together with the notary, you can determine in which situations the trusted person must consult with others. For example, with (other) family members or a professional trusted person. Your notary will be happy to tell you more about this.

93% of people with a living will document their financial, business (property-related), personal interests, and medical matters. A small percentage of people do make a choice, for example, to document only their property-related or medical matters.

What do you want to record in a living will?

• Your financial and business interests. Who will manage your banking and taxes? What should happen to your home if you can no longer live there? And who will, if necessary, become your administrator, trustee, or mentor?
• The choice of whether or not to have medical treatment or resuscitation. How do you envision your end of life? Do you want to be resuscitated if necessary? When is euthanasia desirable for you?
• Your personal wishes. How and by whom would you like to be cared for, if necessary? What should your funeral look like? What should happen to your pet if you can no longer care for it? And what should happen to your social media profiles?
• Supervision. In what situations must the confidential counselor consult with others?

Everyone has their own story

Loes, Joep, and Abby chose a living will. Why? They each have their own reasons. Curious what they're doing? Discover Abby's story in the video or check out "Sign Today for Tomorrow"!

Protect yourself and each other from misfortune and illness

Make sure your affairs are in order. And that you're well-cared for. Create a living will. Would you like more advice on this topic? Visit us or call us. The consultation is free. To schedule an appointment for an in-office consultation or a video call, please call +31 (0)10 44 53 777. We look forward to seeing you.