A living will (also known as a "healthcare proxy" or "advanced directive") is a legal document used to inform medical workers and doctors of your medical and health care decisions and preferred medical procedures and treatments during end-of-life conditions and life-threatening conditions. This document has no effect after your death.
Life insurance can be used to leave an inheritance for family and friends as well as help pay funeral expenses. This is why life insurance is important to get.
In the midst of dealing with the grief of the loss of a loved one and the planning of a funeral or wake, it can become lost how to pay the final bills and expenses of a loved one. Let alone who is or should be responsible for doing so. This can be especially difficult if the deceased didn’t keep track of bills that needed to be paid well or lived alone and no one else is aware of what expenses they had. Once the funeral has taken place, the estate will need to be settled and part of that entails paying a loved one's final bills and expenses.
Thinking about a death benefit may seem insincere in the wake of a loved one’s passing, but understanding what a death benefit is, who it is for, and what to consider is important after the memorial service or funeral.
When the dust begins to settle, the seemingly monumental task of sorting through and cleaning out the personal belongings of a deceased loved one will have to happen. Deciding what to keep when someone dies can be especially daunting for many.
Millions of individuals have made the conscious decision to donate their organs or bodies after passing. Not only does this decision require reflection and consideration prior to passing, but it also requires understanding the process and profound impact such a choice can have on others after death.
An estate sale isn’t just limited to selling the property of someone who has passed away. An estate sale, also known as a tag sale in some areas, refers to the selling of most of someone’s possessions all at once. The Penny Hoarder aptly refers to it as a garage sale on steroids. While most people consider an estate sale after someone dies, estate sales can also happen when older people want to downsize, or when a marriage ends in divorce and the couple wants to split the liquidation of their combined assets. Regardless of the reason for the sale, there are some simple guidelines to follow when planning an estate sale.
During the emotional and stressful period following the death of a loved one or friend, one of the last things someone thinks about is looking after their loved one's utility bills and accounts. While there are more pressing tasks at hand (for help view our Funeral Planning Checklist), eventually all the utility accounts will need to be canceled or transferred depending on the particular situation. This will usually take place when the executor (the individual responsible for the deceased's estate) settles the estate.
Upon the death of a loved one, a death certificate is required by law to legally certify end of life. Completing and filing a complete death certificate to your local or state Vital Records Office is an important step in handling the deceased’s affairs.
One of the most important steps to take to prevent fraud and identity theft is canceling your loved one’s driver’s license. Steps on how to do so vary from state to state, so you can either call the Department of Motor Vehicles in the state your loved one lived or visit their website to find out the state’s specific requirements for canceling a deceased’s driver’s license. You should also destroy all physical copies of the license.
