I saw this post online. I don't know if everything applies to where I live, but I thought it was great advice. I've been executrix for three people. The best advice to give people is put someone you trust as a signatory on your bank accounts. It makes everything so much easier.
Our affairs are all in order. It's detailed and easy for anyone to find.
When my husband's mother passed away, she prepaid her funeral expenses in 1950! The funeral director was stunned at how much the price increased. After she was buried, we prepaid our funerals too!
We opted to put a beneficiary on our bank accounts.
**You cannot "TOD" Transfer On Death in British Columbia. However, you can add someone to your title so when you pass, it is theirs with no taxes.
- TOD = Transfer On Death deed if you own a home. Completing this document and filing it with the court 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 and they will then have the deed 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.
- Durable Power of Attorney: Allows one to designate a person to make legal decisions if one is no longer competent to do so.
- Power of Attorney for Healthcare: This document allows one to designate someone to make healthcare decisions for their person.
- Last Will and Testament: Designates to whom personal belongings will go too.
- Funeral Planning Declaration: States one’s wishes as far as disposition of the body and the service/s.
- If the above documents are completed, 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 your executor to open the estate account. The executor also has to publicize your death in the newspaper or post publication at the courthouse, to allow anyone to make a claim on your property. - It’s a complete nuisance.
- 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 knows 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 automobiles, campers, motorcycles etc
- MOST IMPORTANTLY!- Talk with those closest to you and make all your wishes KNOWN. 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 lights a spark to encourage all your friends and family to take care of these things and to make it easier for those we all leave behind. There is no template for these documents. these are quite simply, written documents, in your own words, and an exercise in just instructing your wishes to be carried out in detail in plain English.
The above list at least helps you start an important conversation with your loved ones.
If any of my legal friends finds something wrong, please let me know. My legal knowledge is from Judge Judy!
