How to Prepare Your Family for Your Death

July 27, 2020

How to Prepare Your Family for Your Death

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Williams Funeral Home under cremation

No one will ever be fully prepared a loved one’s death and cremation service in Spring Hill, TN. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take steps to make it easier for your loved ones after you’re gone.

There are many ways you can make your passing easier on your loved ones and surviving family members, including these steps:

Leave Your Last Wishes – Make it known how you want your funeral or memorial to be done. Do you want a cremation service? A memorial? Traditional burial? There are a lot of questions that need to be answered when it comes to planning a service, so don’t leave your loved ones to answer all of them when their grieving your loss. Make a specific plan for your last wishes and make sure your family knows what it is.
Make a Will – Everyone should have a will, as wills make it easy for the bereaved to know exactly what the deceased wanted. Plus, if you don’t leave a will, the state might end up choosing who gets your asses and who will care for your dependents.
Get Life Insurance – Your family might rely on you for financial support, meaning that when you die, they will not only lose you but will also love the income you provided. Take care of your loved ones by purchasing life insurance. Life insurance can help offset the costs of funeral and cremation services and can also provide additional income for living expenses, remaining debts and other costs.
Find All Your Documents – You might know where your important documents are, but will your family be able to find them? They might not know to check the top dresser drawer for your will, the bottom drawer for your life insurance policy, and your desk for the bank account information. Make it easier on your loved ones and keep all your important documents in one safe place that is easily found and accessed by a surviving family member. Include your social security card; legal forms for retirement accounts, deeds, and rental agreements; tax returns; and lists of all online and computer passwords.
Double Check Your Beneficiaries – Double check that your 401k, life insurance, and IRAs have the correct beneficiaries listed. In other words, make sure that the people or person you want to get the money after your gone are listed on the documents. This is especially important as someone’s beneficiary documents can supersede wills and even divorces.
Sort Your Possessions – Catalog important items of monetary or sentimental value to ensure they are kept and passed to the proper person after you’re gone. Don’t forget to notate why each item is important so no information gets lost.