Advance Health Care Directives
Take Control of Your Future Medical Care
If you were very unwell and couldn't speak for yourself, who would decide what treatment you receive — and how would they know what you really want? An advance health care directive lets you answer those questions now.
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Advance Health Care Directive Fees
All fees include GST.
| Service | 1 Person | Couple |
|---|---|---|
| Advance Health Care Directive | $300.00 | $600.00 |
💡 Included in all estate plans
Advance Health Care Directives are included in all our will-based and trust-based estate plans. If you are setting up a complete estate plan, there is no need to order this separately.
Complete Your Questionnaire
Once you've accepted your quote and Terms of Engagement, complete the online questionnaire from the comfort of your own home. It takes 15–25 minutes and saves automatically — stop and return anytime.
Online Questionnaire (Coming soon)
Complete the full questionnaire online. Your answers save automatically.
Preparation Guide
Download first to see what information you'll need before starting online.
The preparation guide follows the same section order as the online questionnaire.
Use it to gather names, dates and details before you begin — then complete everything online.
A Superpower for Your Health Care Decisions
One of the most powerful — and most overlooked — parts of a good estate and asset protection plan.
An advance health care directive is a written record of your wishes about medical treatment if, in the future, you can't make or communicate decisions yourself — for example, after a serious accident, stroke, or during advanced illness.
It can help answer questions like: Do you want life-support continued in certain situations? What matters most to you if you're nearing the end of life — comfort, time at home, being pain-free? Are there treatments you definitely would or would not want?
Health professionals must take your views into account when deciding on your treatment, especially where you made those views clear in advance, under the Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights) Regulations 1996.
A well-drafted advance health care directive makes your wishes clear and easy for doctors and nurses to understand, reduces uncertainty about what you would have wanted, and helps your welfare attorney and family support decisions that line up with your values. In New Zealand, wishes for assisted dying cannot be included in advance health care directives.
Three Pillars of a Great Advance Health Care Directive
Your advance health care directive can record:
- Your GP and specialist details
- Your wishes about life-support and resuscitation in certain situations
- Your preferences for palliative care and pain relief
- Whether you wish to donate organs
- Whether you want your body used for medical research or teaching
Your directive works hand-in-hand with your enduring power of attorney (EPA) for personal care and welfare. Your welfare attorney is the person who makes decisions if you can't — your advance directive gives them clear guidance on what you would choose for yourself.
This means less uncertainty and stress for your loved ones, fewer disagreements between family members, and decisions that better reflect your values and beliefs.
When your wishes are written down and easy to find, you can relax knowing you've done everything you reasonably can. Your family aren't left to make impossible choices in a crisis, and your medical team can focus on providing care that aligns with your preferences.
The best advance health care directive is one that people actually know about. We encourage you to:
- Share a copy with your welfare attorney, close family members, and GP
- Tell key people where the original is kept
- Include it as part of your wider estate planning folder (wills, EPAs, trust documents)
That way, if something happens suddenly, your loved ones and doctors can quickly access your directive and follow your wishes.
How to Get Your Advance Health Care Directive
As Part of Your Estate Plan
Every will-based and trust-based estate plan we prepare includes an advance health care directive as standard. It's coordinated with your will, EPAs, funeral directives, and other documents so everything works together.
Included in your estate plan
Learn About Estate Plans →Standalone via DYOdocs
Use DYOdocs to work through clear, plain-language questions at your own pace. Capture your wishes in a structured format. You can then ask us to review your directive to make sure it fits with your existing estate planning documents.
From $11.50 (1 person) / $23 (couple)
Cost does not include legal advice
Not sure what documents you need?
Use DYOdocs to create a free report on the documents you should have as part of your estate plan.
Part of Your Estate Plan
Enduring Powers of Attorney
Appoint someone to make decisions about your property and personal care.
Funeral Directives
Record your wishes for burial, cremation, and your farewell service.
Will-Based Estate Plans
A coordinated plan including your will, EPAs, directives and more.
Trust-Based Estate Plans
Extra protection for your home, business, and family through a trust.