You are never too young or too old to begin planning for end-of-life arrangements. If you have ever lost someone in life and have been left in charge of conducting all of the matters that take place after their death, you know that there are a number of details that would have been easier to handle if there were directives already put into place. Due to the nature of unknown timing, it is important to begin preparing some arrangements ahead of time sothat when the day comes, your loved ones can focus on healing from their grief rather than sorting out details of your wishes. Most arrangements can be broken down into three categories: legal documentation, health information, and funeral arrangements.
Legal Documentation
1- Last Will and Testament: It is important to have either a living will or a last will and testament filed with a local attorney. This will eliminate your assets from going through probate and from disagreements occurring over where your assets will go after you pass.
2- Financial Assets: If you have any financial assets, including digital accounts, property, or bank accounts, it is crucial that you have beneficiaries in place and a record of how they can access these accounts. Many of these matters can be attended to ahead of time so that your beneficiaries will only need to provide their identification and a death certificate in order to access your financial assets.
3- Power of Attorney: You can arrange for someone you trust to be named as a power of attorney for your matters ahead of time. They will have the ability to sign their name as a legal representation of you for banking and legal matters. If you are not comfortable with this, you can establish that they will become your power of attorney only at a time when you are medically incapacitated, either physically or mentally.
Health Information
4- Health Proxy: You can name a health proxy that will be able to make health decisions for you if you are ever hospitalized or in residential long-term care. A health proxy will be able to make medical decisions on your behalf.
5- Directives: There are a number of health directives, including do not resuscitate and whether you will be listed as an organ donor, which you can establish in a written record before your death. These can be recorded with your primary care physician, as part of your living will, or communicated in writing with your chosen health proxy.
Burial and Funeral Arrangements
6- Spiritual Wishes: You can arrange with a funeral director of your choosing what spiritual accommodations you would like set at the time of your death. This can include whether you would like religious services to take place, if you would like to be buried or cremated, whether or not a funeral will take place, and what type of headstone you would like. You can also communicate your spiritual wishes with your institution of choice, along with family members that you know who will respect your final wishes.
7- Financial Costs: Final expenses can be taken care of ahead of time in an account established with your local funeral home or other institution. Funeral costs established ahead of time will help your family members who may not be financially prepared for your final medical and death expenses.
8- Obituary: Family members or the local funeral home that will handle your final arrangements are usually in charge of writing your obituary. However, you do have the option of writing your own obituary prior to your death so that you can ensure that your legacy is left in writing exactly as you would like it to.
Thinking about final matters is not a pleasant thought for anyone, but planning for these eight arrangements ahead of time will ensure that your final wishes are carried out and the burden will not be left to those who are grieving. A local lawyer and funeral home can help you map out your wishes and set up the documentation and accounts that are needed, which can be accessed at the time of your death. The more that you preplan and establish, the easier it will be to ensure that the details of your final days are carried out based on your directives.
