Making your wishes known can be challenging. Figuring which documents from healthcare plans to financial documents can be hard to keep track of and making sure they are accurate and update. These documents will help ensure your final wishes are carried out in your preapproved manner.
As you are working to get your affairs in order, making sure that your healthcare documents are in order. One of the healthcare documents you should have in place is an advanced healthcare directive. An advanced healthcare directive is a form stating how you want to be taken care of in the event you are not able to speak for yourself. This directive expresses whether you want extreme measures to be taken to keep you alive. The second healthcare document you should have in place is an organ donation plan. This plan will allow your loved ones to know if you wish for your organs to be donated and the way the donation should occur.
You should also keep updated records of important identification documents like your driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, social security card, and marriage license / divorce record. These documents are key to helping your loved ones identify you.
Other documents to keep in mind are your last will and testament, bank statements, retirement and investment statements, deeds, or proof of ownership for cars and property and insurance related documents. These documents will help ensure your designated loved ones will have access to your finances to help take care of any unexpected final costs.
Along with keeping documents up to date, make sure the person / people listed as your beneficiaries and / or executioner of your estate is up to date as well. That way you can be confident the people you trust will be the ones handling your affairs and legacy.
Most importantly, make sure all these documents are kept in a safe place that is easily accessible to those you trust.
