What You’ll Actually Bequeath Your Loved Ones

August 2, 2023

What You’ll Actually Bequeath Your Loved Ones

THE GIFT OF PLANNING AHEAD

No one likes to think about the day they will inevitably die. Understandably, it’s uncomfortable to envision and not a topic most people willingly bring up at the dinner table. Unless you’ve experienced the loss of a close family member, most people have no idea what has to be done when someone dies. As a result, most families are left with more than the burden of losing someone they love, they’re left to deal with the seemingly endless details of planning they must attend to.

Below is a list of all of the things your family will have to do and consider when it’s your time.

Notify as soon as possible:

All relatives
All friends
Clergy/religious leaders
Funeral Director
Pallbearers
Cemetery
Doctor
Employer of deceased
Co-workers
Professional relationships
Employers of relatives who will miss work
Newspapers regarding notices
Social Security Administration
Veterans Administration
Insurance agents
Religious, fraternal, civic organizations and unions
Attorney, accountant, financial planner, and executor of estate
Credit card companies

Collect documents and paperwork

Will (check for special wishes)
Prepare legal papers, certificates, and permits
Birth Certificate/legal proof of age
Citizenship papers
Social Security card or number
Marriage license
Veterans discharge certificate
Submit insurance policies (life, health, accident, property, auto) and government forms
Disability claims
Bank books and listing of accounts
Other financial accounts
Property deeds
Cemetery deed or proof of ownership
Auto titles or bills of sale
Income tax returns, receipts, and canceled checks

Secure vital statistics (required for documents)

Full legal name
Complete address
Telephone number and email address
Religious name (if any)
Date of birth
Place of birth
Marital status
Name of spouse, if married
Spouse’s birth name
Educational attainment
Citizenship
Father’s name
Father’s birthplace
Mothers’ name and birth name
Mother’s birthplace
Number and full names/addresses of all children/grandchildren/great-grandchildren
Social Security number
Veteran’s Serial/Service number
Number and place of service, date of discharge
How long at current resident/former residence(s)
Occupation, job title, nature of work, and employment history
Location of work, telephone number, and email address

Decide and arrange soon after death

Embalming and other preparation of deceased
Method of disposition (burial/cremation)
Funeral home preference
Cemetery arrangements
Secure interment space and get exact location of burial/disposition
Arrange for opening and closing of grave/mausoleum/niche space
Secure endowment care
Graveside committal service
Secure use of cemetery chapel for committal prayers
Location of funeral or memorial service
Service type (religious, fraternal, military, celebration of life, etc.)
Decide on private or public viewing
Time and place for visitation and service
Arrange for special religious services
Provide information for eulogy
Select casket (open or closed?)
Select outer burial container and/or burial vault
Select urn/niche space
Provide vital statistics about deceased for newspaper
Clothing for deceased
Jewelry/accessories for deceased
Select cosmetology and hairstyling for deceased
Selection of scripture/readings
Clergy or other individual to officiate
Family and friends to speak at service
Marking of grave (temporary or permanent)
Select memorial marker/monument setting and inscription
Select charitable contributions for memorials in memory of deceased
Register book, memorial/prayer cards
Select pallbearers
Floral arrangements and transportation before and after services
Select music/musicians
Arrange for funeral coach
Arrange limousine for family and pallbearers
Arrange funeral car list for family and guests
Clothing for you and your children
Decide who will look after children and/or pets
House cleaning
Extra chairs
Transportation for family and guests
Reviewing and signing all paperwork (i.e., burial permit)
Answering numerous calls, emails, texts, letters
Meetings with funeral director, lawyer, clergy, cemetery
Arrange transportation and lodging for out-of-town guests
Acknowledging those who helped (food, flowers, donations, etc.)
Choose number of certified copies of death certificate to order
Food for family and out-of-town guests
Items for memento display and/or memorial board
Decide on memorial video production, pictures, music, etc.
Write thank-you notes
Write obituary
Notify/close password-protected accounts (email, internet, streaming services, cable, cell phone providers, social media, etc.)

Pay some or all of the following

Estate/Inheritance taxes
Funeral expenses
Purchase of family burial estate, mausoleum crypt, cremation niche
Family burial estate, mausoleum crypt, cremation niche opening and closing costs
Permanent memorialization
Monument/Marker engraving
Funeral Director
Clergy
Organist, vocalist, or other musicians
Florist
Obituary
Clothing
Food
Transportation
Doctors
Nurses
Medical practitioners
Ambulance
Hospital/Nursing Home
Medications and drugs
Current and urgent bills (mortgage/rent, taxes, installment payments, etc.)

It’s an overwhelming list. Imagine having to deal with all of it while experiencing the loss of someone you love. Even the most simple arrangements require many steps and decisions to be made, and putting them off can have more than just financial burdens. But you don’t have to leave them for your family to shoulder.

By preplanning your own final arrangements, you take care of everything ahead of time. That means not only is everything done exactly as you wanted when the time comes, your loved ones won’t have to bear those financial and logistical burdens while they grieve. Losing you will be hard enough. By preplanning, you can help make it a little easier.

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of preplanning, please call us any time at 505-843-6333.

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