5 Ways To Prepare Your Family for Your Death

Posted by Jake Riviera on March 16th, 2021

A difficult reality to face is the fact that you will die someday. It may induce anxiety, but it may leave your family in a bad position if you ignore this reality. Preparing your loved ones for your death may have to do more with what you can do behind the scenes. Since an accident can happen at any time, which leads to your death, preparing yourself and your family to move on without you is important. Learn more about five ways you can tackle this sensitive subject.

1. Write a Will

Regardless of your age or health, it is up to you to handle your affairs before your death. Doing this keeps the additional stress of sorting out the things you wanted your heirs to do and allows them to grieve. Creating a will and other related estate documents serves this purpose. It gives you the chance to do one final act for your family and leave them on solid financial footing. A will is a document that goes through probate. It is the one estate document you cannot leave undone. In a will, you can name beneficiaries and divvy up your personal property, real property and other assets. There is a person you appoint to administer your will. This executor is in charge of getting the bills paid and the heirs their property. It can be a capable family member, close friend or attorney. Getting life insurance quotes can get your beneficiaries money quicker after your death while your will goes through probate.

2. Name a Power of Attorney

Another aspect of your estate is considering who will make financial and medical choices on your behalf. You can either appoint one person or two who can work together if necessary. A power of attorney is triggered when you either do not possess the mental capacity to make proper decisions or are incapacitated. For instance, if you need surgery, the power of attorney becomes active for the entirety of the procedure. This means that if a need arises, such as a medical crisis that requires consent, the person of your choosing can make the call. This person should know what your wishes are concerning handling medical situations so that they can act in your best interests.

3. Put Your End-of-Life Wishes in Writing

There are documents that you can create now that will guide your family and medical providers through your last days. These documents include a living will or advanced directive. The documents memorialize your wishes on how you want medical emergencies handled should you become incapacitated. If you have named a power of attorney, these are the documents they should refer to when asked to sign off on medical procedures. One of the most crucial aspects of end-of-life documents is life support. Doctors may want to place you on a ventilator or feeding tube if you are unresponsive and need help breathing and eating. However, many people view these acts as extending their lives unnecessarily and therefore do not want these actions taken. Should you feel this way, a living will or other advanced directives are necessary.

4. Decide on Guardianship for Dependents

As a parent, your children always come first. One of the most critical things you need to do to ensure their continued care should you die is appoint a guardian. If you are married and have children in common, this will be your spouse. However, if you do not have a spouse or the other parent is out of the picture, you should name someone else to care for your kids. A guardian designation is a decision you should not make lightly. You should also discuss your thoughts and feelings with the people you are considering before naming them, or you may run the risk that they do not want to carry out the task. A guardian does not have to be a relative, although someone with a close connection to the children is suggested.

5. Plan Your Funeral

As morbid as you may think it is, you should plan your funeral. Leaving these arrangements to your family again may cause a guessing game and definitely stress. If you have the details of how you want to be laid to rest down on paper, your family will follow the instructions. It is also a good idea to share these wishes with those closest to you, especially if your requests may surprise them. You can prepay for all of the costs or leave a separate bank account earmarked for these expenses.

Death is not a pleasant prospect, but neither is leaving your family in a bind. With some calculated planning, you can ensure that your wishes and family are taken care of after you die.