Most of us get busy doing the day to day things and never take the time to stop and prepare for when we are gone. I know, we do not want to think of that and, besides, we are all too young. I wish it was that easy to do, but life happens everyday.
While it is a difficult thing to think about, let alone talk about, you really need to stop and put plans in place for when you are no longer here. One of the worst situations is experiencing a loss and learning that the person had not done the necessary things to manage his or her estate.
What is there to do? Much so as to make sure your loved ones are taken care of.
Let’s start with life insurance. Unless you have no family and no debt – you need a life insurance policy. Life insurance is there to replace the income of a loved one who has passed. Additionally, mom’s who stay at home and raise a family need to be insured as well. Many parents neglect to insure themselves, including mom, and unfortunately there are fathers who are left to raise a family while they need to continue to provide an income. No one wants to think of that, but it does happen.
Are you over 18 and breathing? You need a will. The type of will you need depends on certain factors in your life.
First, if you have children under the age of 18, you need to make sure that they are protected in the event of the death of both parents. Protected in the sense of guardianship and financially. Identifying the right guardian(s) and writing them in your will is crucial in deciding who will care for your children if you both are gone.
Financially, making sure your children have money to take care of them and for future needs like their education. This can be written into your will as well.
Having a Power of Attorney (POA) is something that can help you and your spouse manage the day to day needs you may have. This document will allow someone, preferably your spouse, take care of legal needs on your behalf. These documents can be limited in time and limited in scope.
Finally, a Living Will allows you to document your wishes in the event you become incapacitated. It directs medical personnel in how to handle your wishes of life support. It is, again, another area where we wish not to think about or discuss, but when we think about the recent Terry Schiavo case, it can help our wishes be known and allow those faced with final decisions to do so with a little less pain.
All of these items, and more we have not discussed, are best addressed by an attorney. Yes, you can write your own will, have it notarized and it will stand up in court. But paying someone to “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” will make sure that they are correct and truly reflect our wishes, protecting us and those we love.