(And other things you should do in case you die today).
We’re not here to judge, but there are one hundred reasons why wearing clean pants, and making your bed is a good idea.
One reason, that might not spring to mind, is that you might not come home that day.
Okay yes, it’s a terrifying thought, but stay with me here.
We’re all going to die. At some point. It’s easy to hold a vision of this being in old age, where we’ve had lots of time to plan. We don’t imagine that we’ll never return to that sink of dirty dishes or to the unwashed PE kit on the floor. We kiss our children goodbye and make a mental note to pick them back up again. But the reality is 170 people die every day in the UK from sudden heart attacks alone. 5 more in car accidents every single day. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t just get on and live your life. You should. Have fun! But there are some really easy things you can do for loved ones if the worst should happen. So that on day one, when they walk past the laundry that you’d ‘fold later’, the practical stuff is easier to deal with.
1. Choose an Executor
Pick someone you trust, that is level-headed and practical, to be your executor. It doesn’t have to be your partner or your best friend. Simply someone who can swoop in when needed and sort out the itty-bitty paperwork stuff. They’ll need to be over 18 and, if no one springs to mind you can use a solicitor. Be sure to let them know that you’re relying on them when the time comes (you know, a fun lunchtime conversation)
2. Get your paperwork in order
Make sure key documents are all together and accessible for your Executor to find. You can put them together in a single paper file, save them on a USB stick or in a digital file on your computer. This shouldn’t include passwords, just simple information such as who your life insurance policy is with. You should also mention where you keep your Will, or you can store a copy of your Will here too, if that’s your preference. It should also include your birth, marriage and divorce certificates etc.
3.Put together a ‘child pack’
For those parents among you, it is a smart idea to put together key documents for your children in one place. This includes their birth certificate and passports (if they have them). It’s important that all family members have what they need to immediately support your child. This is in case their immediate carers are incapacitated too.
4. Review your Life Insurance
Life Insurance is the one thing that will make the biggest difference to your loved ones after you’ve gone. Unless you were a real tyrant, your immediate family won’t want to be skipping off to work on Monday morning. They’ll need time and space to grieve, perhaps they’ll even need to give up working. Either way, financial security will mean the world to them.
5. Write your Will
You knew we were getting there eventually. Yep - your Will is THE most important thing that will help your loved ones when you die. Think of it as a Sat Nav. Without it, everyone’s getting lost, fed up and arguing in the back seat when they didn’t want to be in the car in the first place. Now, you’re expecting them to navigate the journey with some 1978 paper map. We’re digressing. But, the point is, get a Will. It takes 20 minutes with Lemons.Life, then you’re done.
You can find out more throughout www.lemons.life where we provide lots of useful information on Wills and how to access yours.
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