State guide
Advance Directive Forms in Alaska
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 14
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 Alaska form
Alaska Court System (Self-Help Center) publishes the current form here: https://courts.alaska.gov/shc/family/docs/aahc-directive.doc
Alaska publishes this form as a Word document (.doc) rather than a PDF, so you will need Microsoft Word or Google Docs to open it.
Background reading: Alaska Court System (Self-Help Center) guidance
Alaska's form is a Word document, not a PDF
Alaska publishes its Advance Health Care Directive through the Court System's self-help center, and the file is a Word document rather than a PDF. That is a small technical detail with an outsized effect: on a phone or a tablet, a `.doc` file may not open at all.
If you tried to download the Alaska form and nothing happened, or a blank page appeared, that is likely why. Open it on a computer with Word or Google Docs, or ask your clinic for a printed copy. No part of Alaska's process requires you to fill it in on a screen.
The document covers both jobs in one form, naming your agent and recording your treatment wishes, so there is no second form to pair with it.
It is free, and it does not have to be filed anywhere.
Alaska's form is distributed as a Word document, so it may not open on a phone or tablet. If it will not load, try a computer — or ask a clinic or hospital to print the same document.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way Alaska 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.
Frequently asked
Is the Alaska advance directive form free?
Yes. Alaska Court System (Self-Help Center) publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the Alaska form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way Alaska law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed Alaska advance directive?
Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere reachable at home — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.