Saturday, August 11, 2007

There's a way without a Will


Today almost everyone owns something of value. Teenagers today own cars, elaborate audio systems, laptops, hand held computerized devices and the list could go on and on depending on the teen. Some 20'somethings also own besides most of the things already mentioned, homes, stock, bonds and still more. As we continue to age we acquire more and more valuables;we've become a society of collectors. If we're still in possession of these things when we die we may want them to be passed on to someone in particular so, a will, no matter how formal, is something that anyone who owns even 1 thing should have. "Should" and "does" might have a couple of letters in common but that's where the similarity ends. Most young people don't even consider a will, perhaps understandably so.

A will often comes into play when we begin to think about death. Maybe we're advised by an attorney that this is something we need, maybe we've heard horror stories and feel the importance or maybe we just see the necessity and get it taken care of on our own. No matter what spurs us to have a will drawn up, it somehow gives us a sense of relief knowing that our wishes will be upheld when we die. Most, but not all attorneys that draw up wills know that funeral arrangements should not be put in a will since wills are most often read after a funeral - when it's too late to act upon those arrangements.

If you want to orchestrate your own funeral, I feel the best way to be sure that your final wishes are upheld is to sit down and plan everything you want on paper. It doesn't have to be safeguarded with your will and it doesn't have to be done by an attorney but it does need to get into the hands of several people who you feel might be around when your funeral arrangements are made with a director. This will not only ensure that your wishes become reality but may also take some stress off of your survivors by knowing what you wanted. Can you imagine the feeling after cremating someone only to find in their will that they wanted to be buried? Can't be a nice feeling. So, if you "want it your way", firstly, keep it out of your will, next, put it on paper and finally you need to let the right people know what your way is. Today, not after your funeral.

2 comments:

MedStudentWife said...

Good advice DS :)

paisley said...

i have always just wanted to be cremated, and have the ashes disposed of by the crematorium... is this a realistic goal??? i don't want anything,, no service,, no viewing no memorial no nothing...

but then again,, i know from suffering thru the death of someone i love... death is for the living... so i don't want to make the grief worse for those left on this side.... how often are survivors plagued by the death wishes of the dead??

i think this would make for an interesting post....