Veterans Wills Clinic
The Veterans Wills Clinic is a free legal service designed to assist veterans, active-duty service members, and eligible spouses with essential end-of-life legal planning. Staffed by licensed attorneys and trained volunteers, the clinic helps ensure that your wishes are clearly documented and legally protected.
How It Works
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Clinics are offered at designated times and locations throughout Idaho, often in partnership with VA centers, veterans organizations, or legal aid providers.
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Appointments are required, and attendees will be asked to complete a brief intake form in advance.
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All documents are drafted and signed on-site in a single session whenever possible.
Understanding Your Estate Planning Documents
1. Last Will and Testament ("Will")
A Will is a legal document that outlines how your property and belongings (your “estate”) will be distributed after your death. It allows you to:
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Name who will inherit your assets (family, friends, charities, etc.)
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Appoint an executor to carry out your wishes
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Designate a guardian for minor children, if needed
Without a Will, state law will determine how your estate is divided — which may not reflect your preferences.
2. Living Will
(Also called an Advance Directive or Directive to Physicians)
A Living Will explains what kind of medical care you want — or do not want — if you become terminally ill or permanently unconscious and can’t communicate. It allows you to:
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Decide whether you want life-sustaining treatments (like feeding tubes or ventilators)
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Relieve your family from making difficult end-of-life decisions without guidance
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Ensure your values are honored during critical moments
3. Health Care Power of Attorney (HCPOA)
A Health Care Power of Attorney lets you appoint someone you trust — called a “health care agent” — to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. Your agent can:
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Speak with doctors
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Approve or decline treatments
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Ensure your health care wishes are followed
This document is different from a Living Will, though they often work together.
4. General (Durable) Power of Attorney (POA)
A General POA gives someone the authority to manage your financial and legal affairs if you're unable to do so. This person (your “agent”) can:
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Pay your bills
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Access your bank accounts
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Sign legal documents
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Handle real estate or insurance matters
This POA can be limited in scope or broad, and it can take effect immediately or only if you're incapacitated.