How Prepared Are You for Your Final Plans?

[Aunt Bea]

I understand not caring what happens to the shell of one's body after death, but I don't understand avoiding making arrangements for that shell, particularly if there are no close friends or relatives.

My nearly 100 year old neighbor outlived her husband and daughter - no grandchildren. Her final instructions were in the same packet as her DNR, including the name of the mortuary that had been prepaid for her funeral. They picked up her body from the hospital and took care of everything according to her wishes.

I agree!

I took a tip from Falcon and now the first thing you see when you open my wallet is a card with instructions on how to contact my undertaker.

"People get ready, there's a train a-comin' ..." - Curtis Mayfield

 

[Lashann]

Before we moved here 5 years ago we had our wills checked out/updated. It's time to meet again with a lawyer to ensure that we've got all the bases covered. We're also looking into buying a small good quality safe to store all our important papers.

 

[squatting dog]

I've checked out the alternatives and think I'll go with this one.

 

[MarciKS]

I understand not caring what happens to the shell of one's body after death, but I don't understand avoiding making arrangements for that shell, particularly if there are no close friends or relatives.

My nearly 100 year old neighbor outlived her husband and daughter - no grandchildren. Her final instructions were in the same packet as her DNR, including the name of the mortuary that had been prepaid for her funeral. They picked up her body from the hospital and took care of everything according to her wishes.

What happens if you have no family or friends & you have no arrangements made for when you die? What happens to you? Do you know?

 

[Aunt Bea]

What happens if you have no family or friends & you have no arrangements made for when you die? What happens to you? Do you know?

Where I live the county/taxpayers pick up the tab.

The county where I live picks up the tab for approx. 400 dignified funerals each year. The funerals are performed by local funeral homes and they are reimbursed a set fee by the county. If people do not have a cemetery plot they are buried in the county cemetery set aside and maintained for that purpose.

If a person is in that situation I think that they should still leave a set of requests/instructions on what they would like for themselves, possessions, pets, etc...

 

[MarciKS]

Where I live the county/taxpayers pick up the tab.

The county where I live picks up the tab for approx. 400 dignified funerals each year. The funerals are performed by local funeral homes and they are reimbursed a set fee by the county. If people do not have a cemetery plot they are buried in the county cemetery set aside and maintained for that purpose.

If a person is in that situation I think that they should still leave a set of requests/instructions on what they would like for themselves, possessions, pets, etc...

Thank you for your reponse.

 

[WhatInThe]

I'm looking for a proxy to handle my passing at this point. Most family is burdened by their own health and issues and other don't want others near my property or body at the end. I looking to get predesignated plans to be left with a proxy possibly a lawyer so theoretically my body is permanently taken care and notifications sent so others can collect what I have left in inheritance. At this point I'm darn close to gifting the house and other physical property to charity in a one paragraph letter/will.

Too me if I do it right there will be no funeral, cleanouts etc for heirs to do. All they have to do is fillout paperwork as predesignated beneficiaries on all accounts, policies etc.

 

[StarSong]

I'm looking for a proxy to handle my passing at this point. Most family is burdened by their own health and issues and other don't want others near my property or body at the end. I looking to get predesignated plans to be left with a proxy possibly a lawyer so theoretically my body is permanently taken care and notifications sent so others can collect what I have left in inheritance. At this point I'm darn close to gifting the house and other physical property to charity in a one paragraph letter/will.

Too me if I do it right there will be no funeral, cleanouts etc for heirs to do. All they have to do is fillout paperwork as predesignated beneficiaries on all accounts, policies etc.

You have no spouse, children or close relatives?

 

[WhatInThe]

You have no spouse, children or close relatives?

I have some I could ask and they would probably do it but I don't want to burden them with that responsibility. And I absolutely want certain blood relatives shut out of the process 100%. Not going to leave anything to chance that's why I'm thinking about a paid proxy

 

[win231]

I haven't exactly made plans. But I'm leaving enough money to the people who will survive me to easily pay for my funeral. And for the champagne.....
This is a good reminder that I should plan for it.

 

[peppermint]

We've had this done a long time ago....Kids know where everything is....We have 2 kids....Both married and have kids..
They will share the 2 homes....Unless we don't want the other home, they will have 1 home to share and the money...
They could do whatever they want to do with our leaving this world....I really don't care.....

 

[csimone]

Has anyone had to deal with Inheritance or Estate Tax? My sister is dealing with our father's trust estate and something we've never thought of - estate tax. Most states are clear about the difference between inheritance tax and estate tax BUT, Pennsylvania lumps them together and has 54+ pages for us to fill out - most of which neither she nor I can comprehend. We don't feel we should pay an attorney $350+/hr to fill it out.... Any thoughts?

What'd you ending up doing to help sort this out? Did you hire an attorney?

 

[Liberty]

What'd you ending up doing to help sort this out? Did you hire an attorney?

A cousin married into a family who's father invested heavily in real estate in Pottstown, PA. The cousin had to go there and spend months and months straightening out the inheritance issues. I'd definitely consult a good estate lawyer, assuming the inheritance is monetarily worth it, of course.