Advance Directives

Advance Care Planning

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Completing an Advance Directive will give you a voice in making medical decisions if you become unable to understand or speak for yourself. This can give you and your family/caregivers peace of mind because it allows them to understand and follow your wishes about your medical care.

• Advance Directives only become active if your medical provider certifies that you cannot understand your medical condition and choices for care, meaning you do not have the capacity to make your own medical decisions.
• When completing the Advance Directives forms, it is a good idea to talk to the person you choose to be your agent to ask if they are willing to serve in this role. Provide a copy of your completed forms to your agent and medical team so that they will know your goals of care.
• Completing Advance Directives can also help you avoid having decisions made by probate court, and/or by a temporary surrogate you did not select.
• A health provider or insurance company cannot require you to have an advance directive document to provide you with services.

The Advance Care Planning Guide (ACPG) includes an Advance Directive form, a Living Will form, and a Durable Power of Attorney form that can guide your care when completed properly and made available to your medical teams and chosen agent.

The Guide was updated in July 2021 to incorporate the amendments made to New Hampshire Revised Statutes Amended 137:J as a result of the 2020-2021 Legislative Session.

Download the Advance Care Planning Guide

Additional Resources

• Summary, Change in the Laws Governing Advance Directives
• Medical Surrogacy in New Hampshire Guide (Updated 2021)
• Fillable Advance Directive forms
  • Note – these must be printed after completed and signed in person with a notary or witnesses present
• NH Advance Directives Statute RSA 137-J