4 Steps For Creating A Plan For After You Die
Making a plan for your after-life will allow you to control what happens to you when you die. Creating a plan for what happens after your life also makes the process of figuring out what to do with your body and how to memorialize you easier on your loved ones.
Step #1: Gather Your Personal Data Together
First, you should have a place that your family knows about where you have all your vital personal data stored. This should include personal information such as your social security number and birth certificate, two documents that will make it easier for your family to get an official death certificate properly filled out when you die.
You should also get your financial information together, including all the bills you pay, as your family is going to need to notify everyone that you pay that you are deceased as well. Getting this information together will make this job easier for them to accomplish when you have organized all the information.
If you are concerned about the safety of all of this information, you can keep it in a safe, in a safety deposit box, or with an attorney. Just make sure your family knows where to find it when its time.
Step #2: Plan How to Dispose of Your Body
Second, determine if you want to be cremated or buried. Once you make that decision, plan for the details of your disposal.
If you want to be buried, pick out the casket you want to be buried in, design your headstone, and purchase a burial plot.
If you choose cremation, you can figure out what company you want to use, choose your urn, and decide what you want to have done with your ashes. You can choose to ask your relatives to scatter your ashes, or you can have your ashes turned into other objects for your family and friends.
Step #3: Create a Death Bank Account
Third, set up a bank account that is designed to specifically take care of the costs of disposing of your body and of your memorial service or funeral. This is often better than pre-planning for your burial. Make sure that you set up the bank account so that your family can access and use the funds right away to pay for your burial.
Step #4: Plan the Service or Memorial
Finally, you can also plan your funeral or memorial service. You may not be able to take care of all the details, but you can write out things such as any readings you want to have performed, any music you want to have played, and who you want to make sure is invited and informed of your death. If there are any special traditions you want to have followed, include those in your plan as well. This will make the planning process easier for your family.
This year take some time to create an after-life plan. Creating an after-line plan will give you some control over what happens when you pass away and will make the process easier on your loved ones.
