If you look around, there are a number of places you can download an online health care power of attorney. Some will assure you that they are valid in Arizona. A few are Arizona-specific.

For example, the Arizona Attorney General's office provides a set of online form documents (they call it "life care planning"). Those forms come straight from the Arizona law on advance directives. The packet of documents includes a health care power of attorney, a living will, a mental health care power of attorney, and even a pre-hospital medical care directive (Arizona's so-called "orange form").

Do these online health care power of attorney forms work just as well as attorney-drafted documents? Can you save legal fees by just downloading the forms, completing them and getting them properly witnessed?

As we discuss in this week's podcast episode, that might work just fine. But we customize your documents to cover your actual wishes. We assure that they are properly completed and distributed. We think we add value.

But here's our biggest tip: once you've completed documents, don't just sign whatever your doctor's office, or the hospital admissions worker, puts in front of you. Make sure your advance directives properly reflect your actual wishes.