Get Your House in Order: Vital Financial & End-of-Life Planning Tips

Talk to the senior or seniors in your life—everyone has at least one. Don’t wait for a crisis to force the conversation. When a catastrophic event strikes, it brings not only emotional pain but also financial chaos. The aftermath can be overwhelming, especially if nothing has been planned. Unless you enjoy unnecessary stress, now is the time to get ahead of it and take care of these important matters.

Jessica D Hall gives this sage advice:

IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, put a beneficiary on all of your financial accounts like checking, savings, CDs, life Insurance, investments, etc. You don't need a will for them to get to your money, just a death certificate. And make a list, preferably by hand instead of your computer, either give it to your trusted person, spouse or put it in your security box at the bank. If the person doesn't know you have a savings account or a CD at XYZ Bank, they can never go get the money. Make sure you have a trusted person that is a signer on the security box at the bank. 

GET A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY!!! STOP GOFUNDME'N YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

IMPORTANT information to get your affairs in order:

Make sure all bank accounts have direct beneficiaries. The beneficiary need only go to the bank with your death certificate and an ID of their own. 

TOD = Transfer On Death deed if you own a home. Completing this document and filing it with your county saves your heirs THOUSANDS. This document allows you to transfer ownership of your home to your designee. All they need to do is take their ID and your death certificate to the county building and the deed is signed over. Doing this will avoid the home having to go through probate. 

Living Will:  Allows one to put in writing exactly what you want done in the event you cannot speak for yourself when it comes to healthcare decisions as well as other final decisions. 

Durable Power of Attorney: Allows one to designate a person to make legal decisions if you are no longer competent to do so. 

Power of Attorney for Healthcare:  This document allows one to designate someone to make healthcare decisions for them.

Last Will and Testament:  Designates to whom personal belongings will go to, who the Administrator will be. But if you have a beneficiary on any of your financial accounts, that will override a will. For instance if you say I leave all of my possessions to my daughter Susie, but on your savings account the beneficiary is your best friend, then the money goes to your best friend.

Funeral Planning Declaration:  Allows one to say exactly one’s wishes as far as disposition of the body and the services. 

If the above documents are done, you can AVOID probate. 

If all the above is not done, you have to open an estate account at the bank. All money that doesn’t have direct beneficiaries goes into this account. You have to have an attorney to open the estate account. The attorney also has to publicize your passing in the newspaper or post publication at the county courthouse, to allow anyone to make a claim on your property. - It’s a complete PAIN. YOU'LL also have family members who are not even in your household or involved in your life day to day with their hands out.

Make a list of all banks and account numbers, all investment institutions with account numbers, lists of credit cards, utility accounts, etc. Leave clear instructions as to how and when these things are paid. 

Make sure heirs know where life insurance policies are located. 

Make 100% sure SOMEONE knows your Apple ID, bank ID, account logins and passwords!

Make sure you have titles for all vehicles, campers, etc! 

Set up a TRUST for intended beneficiaries, especially those that are too young, and appoint a trustee of said trust.

MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! - Talk with those closest to you and make all your wishes KNOWN. People love making assumptions when someone dies. They may feel because they are close to the person that they deserve something when the person who died wanted it to go to someone else. MAKE YOUR WISHES KNOWN and WRITE THEM DOWN. Live example; my dad verbally made it known to many what he wanted his kids to have..... yet in death - because he didn't write it down - several people had a problem.

Talk to those whom you’ve designated, as well as those close to you whom you did not designate. - Do this to explain why your decisions were made and to avoid any lingering questions or hurt feelings. 

️Hope this helps! ️Hope this lights a spark to encourage all your friends and family to take care of these things to make it easier for those we all leave behind!

My hope is that the above list at least helps you start an important conversation with your loved ones...

Avoid stress and confusion—here's your essential guide to getting your financial affairs in order before crisis hits. Share this with every senior in your life.

Contributed by Jessica D. Hall