Getting My Ducks in a Row
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If you don't have a will, advanced care directive (living will), organ donation authorization, or a trust, I encourage you to seriously consider preparing the documents. Yes, the attorney fees may be considerable, but not having the documents may cost your family more than money - I know from experience. I've been through an ugly struggle twice - once after my mother died and the second after my brother died.
"Things" and money carry different weight with individuals, and those family members you think you know will turn into completely different people when property and money are involved.
Don't risk having an estranged family after your death: get your ducks in a row!
Don't I know it!!! The Mister's mother had such a terrible will it took us over a year to get it straightened out. While we were working on it family members were fighting among themselves as to who got what. What a mess. It almost made me glad that Medicaid took everything Daddio had. It was pretty cut and dry.
ReplyDeleteWe just updated our wills and power of attorney and more last week. We dropped off copies of everything with both of our girls on Saturday, which seemed to freak them out a little. And we're working on finalizing our long term care policies. As an only child I didn't have anyone to fight with when my parents died 8 months apart. But I also didn't have anyone to share the burden of care for them, and handling the minuscule estate after they were gone.
ReplyDeleteWe should probably update our wills but they would be the same ( we did them when the girls were still minors)...the Living Wills are on file at all the health care places we go. So I think our ducks are lined up okay.
ReplyDeleteGood advice for all!! Missed you last week.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder. You are SO right about all of this.
ReplyDeleteVery good advice!
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice-money and things sure can bring out the worst in people, unfortunately!
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice!
ReplyDeleteI was concerned about you and was about to email you to say, "what's up". So glad it was just ducks!
ReplyDeleteI had noticed your absence; glad you were just taking time off to get things done. Good advice!
ReplyDeleteGood Advice Nancy. i was hoping you were on a nice vacation. These lessons are important for all of us. Once a teacher...you are still teaching
ReplyDeleteWe did ours last year and it was much more involved then we expected although we did ask for certain protections. A recently widowed friend was talking with a group of us today and oh my, the weird things that happened after her hubby's death. She couldn't take his phone off of the cell service, cancel his credit card or sell his car without having proof of death. He evidently was the primary person on the accounts. Lots of stuff to be done after he passed.
ReplyDeleteGood advice, we have ours done but do need to do a update.
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