Your last will and testament are of vital importance to your survivors. Having a current will on file with your lawyer, and right here, can make things flow much more smoothly for your family. Plus, it’s YOUR STUFF, and you should have the last word in who gets what. With a will, you get that last word. Without a will, the State gets it. If you have kids, you can set up trusts for them and select the trustee yourself. If your children are young, you can name their guardian(s).
You should also appoint someone to make decisions for you if you can’t. This person will have your power of attorney, and it’s important that this agent be someone you trust, because he/she will have the authority to utilize your bank account, sign your name, and sell everything you own, including your car and your house. Once you die, this person’s power of attorney becomes void, and the person you designated as your executor becomes the person in charge of your estate.
If you have specific wishes as to feeding tubes or any kind of extraordinary measures in case of terminal or incurable illness, or if, God forbid, you are one day in a vegetative condition, you need a Living Will, and a health care power of attorney. Choose carefully, for this person can make all medical decisions for you, including pulling the plug and donating your organs. If you’ve specified these decisions in your will, this person will make sure your desires are carried out.
Be sure your beneficiaries, whether in your will, your insurance policies, or whatever, are updated regularly. If you’re not careful, all your ’stuff’ will go to your parents instead of your spouse and children, or whoever you would have wanted it to go to.
Click around on YouDeparted, before you turn your computer off. There are tons of very informative information here that can be of immense help to you.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, May 31st, 2007 at 12:05 am
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