Planning: Making the Transition Easier for Your Family

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Planning Ahead: How to Make the Transition Easier for Your Family

Losing a loved one is one of life’s most difficult experiences. In the midst of grief, your family will be faced with the immense task of settling your final affairs. One of the greatest gifts you can leave them is a clear, organized plan that reduces their stress and allows them to focus on healing rather than detective work.

Here are the key areas where proactive planning can make all the difference.

Provide Clear Funeral and Burial Instructions

Decisions about funeral arrangements are incredibly difficult to make while grieving and can lead to emotional overspending. You can relieve your family of this burden by making your wishes known in advance. This can be done by:

  • Pre-paying for your funeral: This is the most direct way to ensure your plan is in place and the financial burden is lifted from your family.
  • Using your Health Care Power of Attorney: This document can give your appointed agent the authority to direct the disposition of your remains, ensuring the person you trust is in charge of honoring your wishes.

Get Organized: The Key to a Smooth Process

A lack of organization is one of the biggest hurdles a family can face. In today’s digital world, paper trails are rare. Without a guide, your family may struggle to identify everything you owned and owed. You can make their job infinitely easier by compiling and securing a single, comprehensive file that includes:

  • A list of all your assets: bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, and life insurance policies, including account numbers and contact information.
  • A list of your digital accounts with their respective usernames and passwords.
  • Titles to vehicles, boats, and other property.

Tools like “The Drop Dead Book” (available from Preferred Living Solutions) are excellent resources that can guide you through this organizational process.

Put the Right Legal Documents in Place

At a minimum, every adult should have a Last Will and Testament. Without a will, North Carolina’s intestacy laws will dictate how your property is distributed, which may be completely different from what you would have wanted. A will gives you control over your legacy.

A comprehensive estate plan, which may also include a trust and powers of attorney, is the most effective way to ensure a smooth transition for your family.

Let Us Help You Create a Clear Plan

If you are ready to get organized and create the legal documents that will protect your family, our attorneys are here to help. Call our office at (919) 256-7000 to schedule a consultation.