Estate Planning Services
Advance Healthcare Directive Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia
An Advance Healthcare Directive names who makes your medical decisions if you cannot and tells doctors exactly what care you do and do not want. Without one, family members may disagree — and a court may decide.
Find Out Where You Stand
What Is an Advance Healthcare Directive in Georgia
Georgia's Advance Healthcare Directive is a single document that combines a healthcare power of attorney with a living will. It names your healthcare agent — the person authorized to make medical decisions for you — and states your wishes for end-of-life care in the event you cannot communicate them yourself.
Medical emergencies do not send invitations. When someone is incapacitated — from a stroke, an accident, or a progressive illness — the people who care for them face decisions they were never trained to make.
Without an Advance Healthcare Directive, Georgia law does not clearly designate who speaks for you. Hospitals and physicians consult family members out of practical necessity, but family members may disagree. A spouse and an adult child may have different views about what you would have wanted. A sibling may intervene. Without a document naming one person with clear authority, those disputes can stall care and end up in court.
Even when the family agrees, doctors may refuse to follow verbal instructions without written documentation of your wishes. They face liability for providing or withholding treatment without clear legal authority.
The Advance Healthcare Directive resolves all of this. It names one person with clear legal authority to speak for you, and it states — in your own words — what care you do and do not want.
What Georgia’s Advance Healthcare Directive Covers
Healthcare Agent
You name one person — your healthcare agent — with the legal authority to make medical decisions on your behalf when you cannot communicate your own wishes. This includes decisions about treatment, surgery, medication, hospitalization, and end-of-life care.
Your agent should be someone you trust to follow your wishes, not someone who would substitute their own preferences. You should name a successor agent in case your first choice is unavailable. Melissa Breyer discusses agent selection with every client because this decision matters as much as the document itself.
Living Will Provisions
The directive allows you to state your preferences about life-sustaining treatment in terminal or permanently unconscious conditions. You can specify whether you want artificial nutrition and hydration continued, whether you want resuscitation attempts, and what your priorities are for comfort and quality of life versus life-extension.
These instructions remove the burden from your family. Instead of guessing what you would have wanted, they follow your written direction.
HIPAA Authorization
A standalone HIPAA authorization — included in your complete estate plan — allows your named person to access your medical records. Without it, healthcare providers may refuse to share information even with family members. The authorization ensures that the people trying to help you can get the information they need.
Choosing Your Healthcare Agent
Your agent does not need to be a medical professional. They need to be able to communicate clearly with doctors, advocate for your wishes under pressure, and make difficult decisions without being paralyzed by grief or conflict. They should also be geographically accessible — available to appear at a hospital when needed.
Do not assume that your spouse is automatically your healthcare agent in Georgia. Without a directive, no one has that legal authority by default. Name the person explicitly in the document.
How It Works
Schedule Your Free Call
Book your 60-minute free strategy call with Melissa. Credited toward your estate plan.
Meet With Melissa
Melissa reviews your assets, your family situation, and your exposure. Virtual or in-person.
Get Your Plan
Receive a written plan with clear recommendations for protecting your family and your assets.
Move Forward
No pressure, no commitment required. Move forward when you are ready.
Melissa Breyer
Georgia Estate Planning Attorney
Melissa Breyer is a Georgia-licensed estate planning attorney focused exclusively on trust-based planning for individuals and families. She personally meets with every client and designs every plan from scratch. No templates. No associates handling your case. Every plan is built for your specific family, your specific assets, and your specific wishes.
110+ Five-Star Google Reviews
What Our Clients Say
After my father passed away, my mother had to rely on my father's employer to navigate the estate. It was a disaster. After this experience, I knew I needed a plan. I turned to Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys to set up a trust. I no longer have to worry about my wife and children going through a difficult process if something happens to me. I highly recommend Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys!
My biggest fear was that if I died first, my wife would have no idea how to navigate the estate and legal system. I reached out to Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys and they put my mind at ease immediately. Their process is easy to follow and they took care of everything. Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys is the best decision I've made for my family's future.
Working with Melissa Breyer to set up our Living Trust was a wonderful experience. She and her entire team were knowledgeable, professional, and made the whole process easy to understand. I highly recommend Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys for all your estate planning needs!
Find Out Where You Stand
A free 15-minute call. You will leave knowing exactly what you have, what you are missing, and what it costs to fix it.
Free Webinar
What Every Georgia Family Needs to Know Before It Is Too Late
Not ready to book a call? Start here. In 60 minutes you will know exactly where your plan stands.
Register for Free Webinar