The process of planning your funeral, organizing your business and personal affairs, and giving instructions in the case of medical trauma may be a chore. But think for a moment... imagine your loved-ones trying to do it all in mere days when their hearts are filled with grief. We encourage you not to put those burdens on your family. Whatever you fail to decide now, will have to be decided by your survivors. It’s a burden and also a strain on relationships. Bless your family – plan your last wishes and instructions so they don’t have to.
To try and help, we have assembled below a variety of tools for you to use in preparing for the day you leave the business of this life behind. Each of these tools is a starting point, the beginning of conversations you need to have with your family, accountant, attorney, or maybe just a wise friend. We do not recommend any of these tools to be used in a vacuum – get the advice and assistance you need to make decisions that will bless your family and stand the test of scrutiny.
At Heartland, we are committed to helping people prepare for their eternity in heaven with the God who loves them. It makes sense that we should also encourage you each to prepare for what you will leave behind. Please take the encouragement to heart. Please take time before the new year begins to put your earthly house in order.
Suggested Resources
Dave Ramsey's Our Family Love Drawer (pdf file). A good start at organizing the information your family will need.
Do Not Resuscitate and Living Will (pdf files). Vital instructions to family and medical care givers in the event you are not able to speak for yourself.
Power of Attorney (word doc). If your family member is incapacitated, the business of life must still be addressed. A Power of Attorney gives a person the power to act on another's behalf according to the stipulations in the document. The linked document is only a starting point and should be reviewed carefully by a lawyer to ensure that it will hold up if contested. Generally, a Power of Attorney is valid during the life of someone - it becomes invalid upon death, at which time the Will takes authority. Depending on the size and complexity of a person's estate, a Will can be a simple declaration regarding the disposition or assets, or it can be complicated. We highly recommend consulting a professional to develop these documents.
My Wishes (book). A comprehensive guide to organzing your life and preparing for the future. It provides an effective way to communicate to your loved ones all of your plans and wishes, and it gives your family immediate access to information when long searches for vital documents are the last thing they want to do.
Personal Planning Guide for Funeral Services (website). Online, free, step-by-step guide to planning a funeral and other related business.
Pre-Planning: 81 Decisions That Need to Be Made (website). Online, free, step-by-step guide making all the decisions and information that will be necessary upon death.
In case of illness...
CarePages.com (website). When a loved-one is ill, you have a commitment to watch after them as well as keeping friends and family informed. Either one can be a demanding effort; doing both can be exhausting. CarePages.com is a fantastic website where someone in the family can create a simple web page and email distribution list that will keep everyone completely up to date on the loved-one's status. This website provides helpful links and tools that will keep anyone (as you direct) informed and connected. We recommend you visit the site soon and familiarize yourself with the site so that in a time of need, you are comfortable with setting up a page quickly.