State guide
Advance Directive Forms in Massachusetts
We link to official sources only. We are not a law firm and we never write legal documents. The form you sign must come from an official or authorised source in your state.
What this document does
An advance directive is where you write down the healthcare treatment you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself. In most states it also names a healthcare agent — the person who speaks for you when you cannot.
Where to get the Massachusetts form
Commonwealth of Massachusetts (mass.gov) publishes the current form here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/download-the-massachusetts-healthcare-proxy-form/download
Like New York, Massachusetts uses a Health Care Proxy, not a living will statute.
Background reading: Commonwealth of Massachusetts (mass.gov) guidance
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way Massachusetts requires. Many states need witnesses or a notary. The form itself says which — follow the form, not a blog.
- Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor. A form nobody can find is a form that does not work.
- Keep the original somewhere reachable — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
- Add it to your checklist so your trusted contact knows it exists and where it lives.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.