A Practical Guide To Planning For Death

The last thing most of us ever want to think about is our own death. But the fact is it comes to us all, and sometimes sooner than expected. Everyone dies with a to-do list, but if making your end of life plans is on that list, it can cause chaos for your loved ones. However, this chaos can be avoided easily if you face facts and deal with your end of life considerations now, in a practical way, rather than then in an emotional and crisis-driven way.

There are several basic aspects to planning for your death that include what your wishes are in relation to your health care, memorial arrangements and what is to be done with your body. The other major considerations are to do with family finances. Who will be in charge of your estate - that is, what you leave behind of value? How will your family be looked after once you are gone? How can your estate be protected from excessive taxation? Let’s start with planning ahead in terms of making your wishes known. MAKING YOUR WISHES KNOWN The first step is to be clear about what you do and don’t wish to happen once you die. By being clear about this, you can take the guesswork out of the process so that your distraught family will know that they are following your wishes and that you would be pleased and feel respected by the decisions they make and the actions they take.