We should all be aware of the importance of estate planning, as well as the way to do it. Planning your estate is something that can and should be thought about and completed before it is needed. When a family suffers a loss, it is such a burden off their shoulders when the individual has already made all their estate-planning decisions. It may be a topic that you would rather put off, but think of how much it will help the ones you love down the road.
The first thing that Hayworth-Miller recommends is to be organized! It can be so difficult for a family to have to hunt down every single necessary document when they do not know where it is. Find a place in your home where everything can be found. Hayworth-Miller suggests having a notebook where everything is in the same place. There is even a book called Important Information for my Family When I Die that can be a helpful resource while organizing all your documents. “With the insurance policies, make sure the beneficiary is up to date. Often a spouse who has already passed away is still listed, then the proceeds might go into an estate,” says Hayworth-Miller.
The second thing that Hayworth-Miller encourages is to have a “Will and Testament” along with a “Living Will” made. A Will and Testament is a document that describes how you would like things to be distributed when you pass. A Living Will is a document that defines your preferences regarding healthcare if you were ever in a situation where you could not express them. If you haven’t completed this, the state of North Carolina may have to handle your assets and decide to whom everything goes. This can result in things going to places that you did not intend for them to go. Make sure to create your Will and Testament as well as your Living Will.
Thirdly, Hayworth-Miller points to the importance of choosing a “Power of Attorney.” Specifically, it is needed to establish your “Health-Care Power of Attorney,” and to add “right of disposition” to this. “This will give the person listed the power to choose the type of arrangement for the deceased person for whom it is being done. This is very important when cremation is chosen,” explains Hayworth-Miller. A Power of Attorney is someone that will handle your affairs if you are not able to, while a Health Care Power of Attorney is someone who will handle your health-care choices for you if you are unable to do so.
Online accounts are something that we spend a lot of time and energy on, but we may not always realize the importance of leaving our online information to someone else. Currently, we all handle a lot of our life online, therefore it is important to have the online access information securely stored. Think about the online banking that you do, about online shopping accounts, online investments, your social medias, and more! Hayworth-Miller advises to keep all your online passwords written down in a safe place.
“One of the first decisions that needs to be made is burial or cremation. That will certainly answer a major question and take a burden off a loved one,” expressed Hayworth-Miller. They explain that the more preplanning you can do, the more peace of mind your loved ones will have, knowing that they did what you wanted.
Lastly, Hayworth-Miller recommends communication. When you communicate, you take the questions out of situations. As soon as you and your loved ones are comfortable, have these conversations. It may be hard now, but it is worth it to have a lighter and clearer burden for you or your loved ones to bear down the road. If you have any questions about anything in this process, please contact Hayworth-Miller. You can find them online at Hayworth-Miller.com. If you have any direct questions about this process, please reach out to David Adams, Pre-Need Funeral Director at dadams@hayworth-miller.com. Hayworth-Miller’s main location can be found at 3315 Silas Creek Pkwy | Winston-Salem, NC, 27103 and contacted at 336-765-8181.
