Leaving a Legacy

Let’s be blunt: when you pass, you will no longer worry about what happens to your belongings, your body, or anything in your life. But those you leave behind will feel the impact of your passing, and it’s your responsibility to make it a smooth transition for them. You hear stories about families fighting over inheritances, then never speaking again. Families also argue about healthcare decisions for loved ones who can no longer decide for themselves. 

Often, when working with an estate of someone who has passed, I hear the phrase, “I have no idea what they would want” in regards to the funeral, body/ashes, possessions/house, etc. No. Idea. So, how do you prevent your loved ones from feeling unsure or guilty when making decisions after your passing? You create a Legacy Planner and let your loved ones know where it’s located. 

Real-Life Examples of Legacy Planning

This past summer, my family experienced the death of two loved ones. My Aunt, at 72, received a stage four kidney disease diagnosis four years earlier. A silver lining to a nasty illness: advance notice. The diagnosis gave her time to plan. However, even with this time, after her passing, there was still some discussion on exactly how she wanted the service, her ashes spread, etc. Siblings believed she wanted everything a specific way while the widow said she changed her mind and wanted it a different way. Who’s right?

We also lost my 32-year-old cousin…with no advance notice. From 8:00 AM on Friday until doctors turned off the machines and harvested his organs at 6:16 PM on Tuesday, the family asked a lot of questions. Did he want to stay hooked up to machines? For how long? What were his wishes about organ donation? Did he prefer cremation or burial? And who should make these decisions—his mother or the love of his life?

Life is a beautiful gift, but at any time, on any day, death can take it. So, plan. Plan for yourself, so after you’re gone, your loved ones honor your wishes. Plan for your loved ones, so your loss does not deepen their sadness with difficult decisions. Keep this in mind as you prepare a Legacy Planner.

How Do You Create a Legacy Planner?

You can create a document (see photo of the table of contents from Strategic Hourglass Solutions’ Legacy Planner), then spend a few weekends or evenings creating your legacy by outlining all the information about yourself that is vital to the loved ones you leave behind. Whether that’s your parents, children, siblings, a friend, or a niece you’ve never met, a completed Legacy Planner will allow them to fulfill your wishes after you pass.

Why a Legacy Planner Matters

Why should you care about creating a planner? The most obvious answer: if you’re ever in a physical state where you can’t make decisions but are still alive, the people you’ve empowered will know what you want to happen in most situations. In addition, as mentioned above, the more details you provide to your loved ones, the easier it is for them to find peace when making decisions.

What to Include in Your Legacy Planner

At a bare minimum, everyone (any age, any socioeconomic…everyone) should create the following four legal documents and keep each up-to-date:

• Last Will and Testament: a legal document outlining how to distribute assets upon death. In Texas, you can hand write the entire document, sign it, and make it legally binding. Read more about the requirements here.

• Durable Power of Attorney: Authorize someone you trust to make financial and personal decisions if you cannot or are out of reach.

• Advanced Directive (or living will): State which medical procedures you want, wouldn’t want, and when to apply your wishes.

• Health Care Power of Attorney: Designate someone to make medical decisions for you when you are not able.

Make sure you alert your designees so they know about the responsibility and accept it. In addition, keep one in your safe, in a bank deposit box, scan an electronic copy, and send it to yourself and your family. You can choose many distribution options to ensure your loved ones follow your wishes.

Stephanie

To see more about balancing and improving quality of life, see Energize and Balance Your Life Through Feng Shui.