Planning for the end of life isn’t about you, says NPR’s recent article entitled “End-Of-Life Planning Is A ‘Lifetime Gift’ To Your Loved Ones.” As the owner of the estate, you really don’t get to see the benefit of your estate planning. The NPR article gives us some easy and practical steps to planning for the end of life.

Name your executor. If you’re an adult, you should have a last will. This is because estate planning isn’t just for the rich. With a last will, you name an individual you trust to take care of everything when you die. That is the executor or personal representative. It’s a good idea to choose someone from your family or a person with whom you have a good relationship. This person also should have a good attention to detail, because an executor would have to locate all your financial assets and communicate with everyone you’ve named in your last will.

Conduct an inventory. Create a list of everything you own. This includes financial assets—such as bank accounts, retirement savings or car—as well as things that have sentimental value, like jewelry, furniture and mementos. Once this is done, specify in writing those persons you want to have these items. If you have young children, designate a guardian for their care, in case you and your spouse are no longer alive. This person will be responsible for your child’s schooling, health care decisions and value system. Digital accounts are also part of your property, such as your social media accounts, online photos, and whatever is in your Google Drive or iCloud. This also includes any online subscriptions and airline or credit card rewards. Create a secure list of all those accounts and the login and password details. Let your executor know where to find it. Make specific instructions about what you’d like to have happen with your online information.

Your decisions will change over time, so review and update your last will.

Think about your health care decisions. Your last will addresses what happens after you die. However, an advance directive is a legal document that addresses your health care and protects your wishes at the end of your life. There are two parts to an advance directive: a medical power of attorney, which is granted to someone to make decisions for you if you’re incapacitated; and a living will, in which you detail how you should be cared for by healthcare professionals.

Remember the emotional and spiritual aspects of death. The way in which you want to die is personal and about much more than just the medical aspect. It may be about being at peace with God or having your pets nearby.

Plan ahead to give you and your family peace of mind.

One of the main goals of our law practice is to help families like your plan for safe, problem free, and successful transfer of assets to the next generation.  Call our office today to schedule a time for us to review your estate plan and identify the best strategies for you and your family to ensure your legacy of love and financial security.  Our office is located in Santa Ana, CA but we serve all of California including Irvine, Orange, Tustin, Newport Beach, and Anaheim.

For more information and articles on estate planning, probate, trust law, and business planning, please visit our website and subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter

Reference: NPR (June 30, 2020) “End-Of-Life Planning Is A ‘Lifetime Gift’ To Your Loved Ones”