Puls

Do you have a will or a trust? Have you signed “Power of Attorney for Finances” and “Medical Power of Attorney” forms? Have you made any funeral arrangements? Have you made decisions about your children if they are minors?

If this makes you uncomfortable, it certainly is understandable. These subjects are not necessarily easy to deal with but they are easier than having your loved ones left to deal with unfinished wishes if you were to become disabled or to die.

We have an obligation to those we love to put our “ducks in a row”. This ensures that our wishes for our earthly possessions as well as our bodies are honored. When we die, those left behind will appreciate knowing how we want many things handled.

Having our wishes in writing can solve all kinds of potential conflicts in families. Saying “Mom wanted me to have this” is very different than seeing it in writing. Time may have changed what was said and often interpretations of what is said verbally can be different than what was really wanted.

What kind of a funeral service would you like to have? It’s not a bad idea to write down ideas of what you would like. My sister, who lives in Wisconsin, asked if I would plan her funeral if she died after her husband, to which I replied that I needed a lot of information from her before I would agree to it. I asked for her church, a funeral home, a cemetery, contact numbers of friends, etc. Having done this several years ago, she recently updated it, which was very thoughtful.

Part of the reason some people don’t plan ahead is the cost of an attorney to set up a will or trust. Not knowing the laws, it makes sense to spend some money to get it done right. Think of your family possibly not being able to access your funds after you die and they are left with huge bills to pay. I stopped by the Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union today and saw an ad for members to link up with an advisor to make a will or trust. I would assume they would give good rates but was unable to reach someone to talk with as to how they handle it.

Funeral directors have all kinds of sad cases of loved ones without wills or trusts. Not every family gets along and during this very stressful time it can be even worse.

It just makes sense to be prepared. We are all going to die so we should make it as easy as we can for our loved ones.

Doris Puls, of D&O Decluttering and Organizing, is a professional organizer whose mission is to make a difference in the lives of the people she works with in homes and businesses. Contact her at organizealpena@gmail.com or at 989-356-9545.