Book Synopsis
The last thing most of us ever want to think about is our own death. But the fact is it comes to us all, and sometimes sooner than expected.
Everyone dies with a to-do list, but if making your end of life plans is on that list, it can cause chaos for your loved ones. However, this chaos can be avoided easily if you face facts and deal with your end of life considerations now, in a practical way, rather than then in an emotional and crisis-driven way.
There are several basic aspects to planning for your death that include what your wishes are in relation to your health care, memorial arrangements and what is to be done with your body. The other major considerations are to do with family finances. Who will be in charge of your estate - that is, what you leave behind of value? How will your family be looked after once you are gone? How can your estate be protected from excessive taxation?
Getting your State of Affairs in order is more important than most people realize. Often people do not realize just how important it is until they are placed in an emergency. Putting a plan into action and sticking to it is one of the most important things you can do to ease your stress level. Even though each family or household must work on a plan that works best for their situation, some general guidelines can be helpful. As a starter, ask yourself a few of the following questions:
When was the last time you couldn't find an important paper, you knew you had carefully put away someplace?
How much time do you spend trying to straighten out your household business affairs, especially at income tax time?
How, in fact, do people decide what records are important to keep and what they can discard? How do they decide where to store such records?
How easy or difficult would it be for other members of your household to figure out your record system? Do you even have a system?
Who, besides you, knows where to turn for necessary information about the family household assets and obligations?
Do you have a listing of people who are important contacts, such as tax counselors, attorneys, bankers, brokers, insurance representatives, employers, creditors, and debtors?
Are you sure titles to property and possessions are held in the best way for all concerned? If not, you may want to ask an estate attorney or a trust officer at your bank for professional assistance.
If you answered any of these questions adversely you may benefit from a more structured approach to your affairs. A good record system is a key to being organized. In the event of a death, you will have a bird's-eye view of what happens to your assets. It is also very important to properly store important documents and have ready access to them in the event of an emergency. There are many situations that may arise that can alter your plans such as divorce or separation, children reaching legal age, a long illness, a lawsuit, a natural disaster, loss of a job, and retirement.