A Loving Family Gift

Kathy Lupfer-Nielsen, Family Consumer Sciences Agent

One of the most loving gifts a person can give their family is to put your affairs in order before a disaster or medical emergency. Even better would be to have a conversation with your family members about your end of life wishes. Although this isn’t a fun topic to have over the holidays, it needs to be when family members are together so they all hear the same conversation, rather than having wishes being passed around like the game gossip.

Here’s a list of the paperwork that should be gathered in one location for your family:

· All bank accounts, account numbers and types of accounts and locations of banks.

· Insurance Company, policy numbers, beneficiary as stated on the policies and type of insurance (health, life, long term care, automobile, etc.).

· Deed and titles to all property.

· Loan/lien information, who holds them and if there are any death provisions.

· Social Security and Medicare numbers.

· Military history, affiliations and papers (including discharge papers).

· Up-to-date will in a safe place and inform family where the will is located..

· Living will or other advanced directives appropriate for your state of residence.

· Durable Power of Attorney.

· Instructions for funeral services and burial if arrangements have been secured, name and location of funeral home.

If any of you have had a family member pass without this information gathered for you, you will understand why it is a loving gift to have items gathered in one place…or at least a list of the above items in a notebook of where else piece is. You also might want to include who your lawyer is as their office will also have a copy of the will.

Resource: www.caregiver.com