What an advance directive is
The sheet describes two types: a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, to name any adult as your Health Care Agent, and a Living Will, to state your preferences about treatments.
10-0137A
What You Should Know About Advance Directives
- Agency
- VA
- Revision
- December 2018
- Fillable fields
- 1
- Pages
- 2
- Official source
- VA form page
- Checked
- October 20, 2026
VA Form 10-0137A: What You Should Know About Advance Directives
VA Form 10-0137A, What You Should Know About Advance Directives, is a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs information sheet, not an application. VA's form page says to use it to learn about your rights to accept or refuse medical treatment, and to complete a power of attorney for health care or a living will.
The sheet answers questions in plain language: what an advance directive is, who to choose as a Health Care Agent, who makes decisions if no agent is chosen, which advance directive forms VA recognizes, and what to do with a completed one. It says VA's own advance directive is VA Form 10-0137, which has both a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care section and a Living Will section.
The PDF has two pages and one blank space where a VA health care facility may add its own contact information. Nothing on it is sent to VA. You can open the PDF free in your browser on this page and download it without an account.
What's on VA Form 10-0137A
Choosing a Health Care Agent
The sheet says it's best to choose someone you trust and who knows you well, because they will be asked to speak for you.
If no agent is chosen
The sheet lists the order VA uses to identify a surrogate: legal guardian, spouse, adult child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or a close friend. If no one is found, VA staff or a court of law decides.
Forms VA recognizes
The sheet says VA recognizes all types of legal advance directives, including VA, state, and Department of Defense (DoD) advance directives.
Following a living will
The sheet says your surrogate and health care team try to respect your wishes, may have to interpret them, and can't follow a living will that conflicts with legal or professional standards.
Completing, keeping and changing one
Page 2 covers getting help, giving copies of a completed advance directive to your VA health care facility and your Health Care Agent, and changing or canceling it at any time.
How the sheet says to use an advance directive
- 1
Read about the two types
Page 1 explains the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and the Living Will, and VA's own form, VA Form 10-0137, which includes both.
- 2
Get the VA advance directive
The sheet points to https://www.ethics.va.gov/for_veterans.asp for download, and says your health care team can also give you a copy.
- 3
Fill it out alone or with help
The sheet says you can fill out a form on your own or get help from a health care provider, and that you could also talk to your spiritual advisor or attorney.
- 4
Share copies
The sheet says it's important to give a copy of a completed advance directive to your VA health care facility and to your Health Care Agent.
- 5
Update it when your wishes change
The sheet says you can change or cancel your advance directive at any time, and to give a copy of the new one to your facility and your Health Care Agent.
Why fill Form 10-0137A on indox
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
- Fill the form right in your browser, no software to install
- Free to fill and free to download, with no account
- The official blank straight from the VA, not a copy someone retyped
- Works on a phone, tablet or computer
Where it goes and getting help
Nothing to send
VA Form 10-0137A is an information sheet with no signature line and no mailing address. The advance directive it describes is VA Form 10-0137.
Help and questions
The sheet says to contact a member of your VA health care team for more information about advance directives or for help filling out advance directive forms.
VA's policy
The sheet says to ask your health care team for VA's policy on advance directives, or to go to https://www.ethics.va.gov/policy.asp.
Edition
The PDF is the DEC 2018 edition, and VA's page lists a form revision date of December 2018.
Related forms
10-0137
VA Advance Directive: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will
80 fields, 6 pages
10-5345
Request for and Authorization to Release Health Information
61 fields, 2 pages
10-5345a
Individuals' Request for a Copy of Their Own Health Information
43 fields, 1 page
10-10EZ
Instructions and Enrollment Application for Health Benefits
122 fields, 6 pages
Who uses VA Form 10-0137A?
The sheet is written for people receiving VA health care, and leaves one space for the facility.
Official sources and the blank
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Questions about Form 10-0137A
Is VA Form 10-0137A something I file?
No. It is an information sheet with no signature line. VA's page says to use it to learn about your rights to accept or refuse medical treatment, and to complete a power of attorney for health care or a living will.
Which form is VA's advance directive?
The sheet says VA's advance directive is VA Form 10-0137, which includes both a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care section and a Living Will section.
Does VA accept state or DoD advance directives?
The sheet says VA recognizes all types of legal advance directives, including VA, state, and Department of Defense (DoD) advance directives, and suggests making sure multiple ones don't conflict.
Who decides for me if I don't name a Health Care Agent?
The sheet lists, in order: legal guardian, spouse, adult child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or a close friend. If your doctor can't find anyone from the list, VA staff or a court of law will make the decisions.
Does having an advance directive affect my VA care?
The sheet says you will not be discriminated against based on whether or not you have one, and that the decision will not affect your access to health care or other VHA services.
Can I change my advance directive later?
Yes. The sheet says you can change or cancel it at any time, and to give a copy of the new one to your VA health care facility and to your Health Care Agent.