© zimmytws @123rf
estate plan
This is most likely not at the top of your To Do List for today: prepare for the death of your loved one. This is a task that no one gets excited about and is probably the last thing you want to think about. The reality is that when a loved one dies, there is little else we are capable of thinking about. It consumes our emotions and our minds, making it almost impossible to focus on anything else. Therefore, the more prepared you are for the events that will follow your loved one’s death, the less overwhelming they will seem. If you’re prepared, you can spend more time actually grieving and less time fretting over small details and tasks.
Sure, we all know that funeral arrangements need to be made, but there are so many things that you just don’t think about until it is actually happening. Here, we will outline five things you will have to take care of that you may not be expecting:
1. Passwords and Login Information of the Deceased
In today’s world full of technology, any given person could have hundreds of usernames and passwords to hundreds of different websites. You will unfortunately need access to a handful of these websites for various reasons such as cancelling services, so it is a great idea to have the most important usernames and passwords written down in one place, so that they can be easily accessed if the worst does happen.
2. Location of Important Documents
Birth certificates, social security cards, drivers’ licenses, etc. will be needed, so they shouldn’t be something you have to worry about searching for after the death of your loved on. You should know exactly where these documents are, so that you aren’t scurrying around trying to find them in the midst of all the chaos and grief.
3. A List of Contacts Who Should Be Notified Right Away
You should have a detailed list of who should be notified, and a designated spokesperson who will call them. Immediately after the passing of your loved one or family member, the last thing you should have to worry about is calling even more loved ones to tell them the news, forcing you to experience the devastation over and over again.
4. Hiding or Removing Valuable Items from Deceased’s Residence
This one is sadly representative of the human race and how low we can go. When someone dies, it’s not uncommon for people who knew they had items that were valuable to try to take them for themselves. For this sad and disgusting reason, it is important that you know the locations of these valuable items in advance, and that you either hide or remove them from your loved one’s residence.
Be Organized and Prepare in Advance
There is so much information to collect and maintain, and this article has only touched on a very small portion of it. Putting all the information into one organized, structured place will help take all the thinking out for you so that you can focus on the more important things like properly celebrating the deceased’s life and your grief. Having everything you need in one convenient spot will help take the added pressure off of you, and you won’t have to devote anymore time or energy to these difficult tasks than you need to.
Source: Sudden Death Checklist