Help your family — and make your executor’s job easier — by getting your paperwork in order.
Estate planning isn’t just about legal issues — there are practical ones as well. After you die, many of the tasks and decisions your loved ones will have to handle usually aren’t covered by basic estate planning documents. You can save them some headache by making your wishes known on such issues as:
- Who should be notified of your death?
- Do you want a funeral or a memorial ceremony? If so, what type? Who should attend? Do you want people to send flowers, or would you prefer donations to charity?
- Did you prepare a will or living trust? Where did you keep them?
- Do you own a life insurance policy, pension, annuity, or retirement account? Where are the documents stored?
- Do you have bank accounts? Do you have a safe deposit box? Where are the records?
- Do you own stocks, bonds, or money in mutual funds? Where are the records?
- Do you own real estate? Where are the deeds?
Stop carrying this information around in your head.
Making things easier for your family is not difficult, but it may be time-consuming. It’s best to break the task into manageable sections and take it one step at a time.
To organize your wishes, plans, and important personal information, download our FREE Important Documents Locator_.
Ronald “Chip” Morrison, Jr. is a Board Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist as certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. He is admitted to practice before all State courts in Louisiana. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Eastern and Middle District of Louisiana.
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