One of the things to think about this season of family get togethers and gift-giving is planning for your final gift, and how it will affect your family. Admittedly, post-death effects are something no one much wants to think about or discuss, but it is an essential part of estate planning and the discomfort of having the conversation can save a lot of misery down the road. Having the after-death talk as an open discussion also serves to disarm any potential confusion or conflicts among your loved ones. An article on the Equifax blog by Jeff Rose recently touched on a number of different aspects of estate planning in his article, “
Estate Planning: Discussing Your Final Wishes with Your Family.”
One of the chief aspects of estate planning is the writing of a will – something that people of any age should consider if they care about what will happen to their property or finances after death. With those decisions made, the next step is finding the right executor to oversee your wishes. Simple wills can be done yourself with a few online resources, though for specific divisions of assets or other complexities, hiring an attorney is definitely a good idea.
The will is also set to determine who will take care of any dependents, and set up guardianship to make sure they’re in good hands. This does require some work on your part to make sure they are up for the task. This is often a much more detailed conversation to assuage your specific concerns, share necessary medical care knowledge, and be ready to handle any other problems in the way you would want them taken care of.
The article has some other helpful tips, especially in the areas of funeral and medical care planning that can serve as a launch point for your own estate planning, or a double check on what you have already begun. See these tips and more in rest of the full article on the
