The Long and Winding Road: The Paper Trail
The attorney looks around, clears his throat, and informs the family that the bulk of the old woman’s estate has been left to someone else. Ain’t death grand? For once, you get to have the last say and no one can stop you. Revenge and reward can both be quite sweet.
Did You Know …
- In some states if you die without a will, your divorced former spouse can still inherit your estate because a divorce does not automatically cancel a will.
- In some states you need to specifically disinherit your children, that is if you want to. “Be nice to Mommy, darling…”
- The movie “write-it-on-the-cocktail-napkin” will is usually rejected as valid by the courts.
The pool boy got it all?????
Notes & Updates!!!
- Great new website for every legal form you will need! http://formswift.com/
- Other site for forms The National Funeral Directors Association: http://formswift.com/free-legal-forms
- This site provides helpful resources/services for senior widows. Read the article “Financial Guide for Widows: Building Credit” https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-rules-new-widows.php
- The same site above has a good article “6 steps to take when a credit card holder dies” https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/6-steps-when-credit-card-holder-dies.php
- Another good Estate Planning Website: https://www.notarybonding.com/resources/faq-estate-planning-wills-and-trusts
- Make you own last will & testament! http://formswift.com/last-will-and-testament
- What can happen if you do not have a list of passwords! “I’m Still Paying For My Dead Husband’s Cell Phone Because I Don’t Know His Childhood Friend’s Name” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-to-stop-paying-a-dead-mans-bills_us_58c464f9e4b0d1078ca7292d
If a link is broken, please let me know by sending an email to information@deathforbeginners.com
The websites for goods and services are offered for your interest and exploration. The the act of posting them here is not an endorsement. There are some “goods and services” sites with whom I have had positive interaction and these sites are noted by the following: !!!
Your Will
- Mayo Clinic: Living Wills MayoClinic.com/health/living-wills/HA00014
- Better Business Bureau http://www.bbb.org/us/charity/
- Read About Wills http://www.attorneys.com/wills-trusts-and-probate
- Do Your Own Will http://www.doyourownwill.com/
- Research laws & lawyers Lawyers.com https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/research/
- Leaving Money to Your Pets https://money.com/estate-planning-leave-money-pet/
- Elder Law Answers https://www.elderlawanswers.com/learn-more
Special Needs Beneficiaries
Books
- Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your Child’s Financial Future by Kevin Urbatsch & Michele Fuller-Urbatch, (NOLO; Eighth edition May 27, 2019)
- What will happen to my Special Needs Child when I am gone: A Detailed Guide to Secure Your Child’s Emotional and Financial Future by Susan Jules, (Independently published, October 22, 2020
The Dreaded Divide
- Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate? by M. Stum https://extension.umn.edu/who-gets-grandmas-yellow-pie-platetm-workshop-facilitators-toolkit/who-gets-grandmas-yellow-pie-0
- The Boomer Burden: Dealing with Your Parents’ Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff by Julie Hall
http://www.theestatelady.com/blog/
Book about Death Cleaning
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson, (Scribner Book Company, January 02, 2018) https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Art-Swedish-Death-Cleaning/dp/1501173243
Organization of Important Papers
- Toronto’s Great Stork Derby http://spacing.ca/toronto/2013/07/23/the-great-toronto-stork-derby-why-the-city-went-baby-crazy-during-the-great-depression/
- Consumer Action’s Digital Estate Planning Guide https://www.consumer-action.org/downloads/english/Digital_Estate_Planning_Guide.pdf
- IRS http://www.irs.gov/publications/p583/ar02.html
- Suicide Machine removing digital footprint http://suicidemachine.org
- Organizing Home Office Papers https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/organizing/g3351/how-to-organize-your-paperwork/
- Arranging a home office https://makespace.com/blog/posts/set-up-organize-home-office/
- How Should I arrange my Drawers http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120103000542AAnUCbZ
Death Certificate
- The Ghost Trial of the Century https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/ghost-trial-century
- AFL-CIO Survivor Benefits https://aflcio.org/search?s=survivor+benefits http://www.aflcio.org/About/Member-Benefits
- Federal employee survivor benefits http://federalretirement.net/survivor.htm
- Railroad Retirement and Survivor Benefits https://www.rrb.gov/Benefits/Survivor
- Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1073
- Social Security Administration https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/
- Veterans Affairs Survivors and Dependents Benefits http://www.vba.va.gov/survivors/
- Death Overseas https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/emergencies.html
Advanced Directives
- Five Wishes – great site! https://fivewishes.org
- Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/living-wills/art-20046303
Books
- The Complete Legal Form Book of Living Wills: advance directives to physicians; medical powers of attorney; pain management plan; and final instructions and directives by Ernest Edsel, (lulu.com; null edition September 29, 2009)
- A Patient Guide To Understanding Advanced Health Care Directives by Maureen Kroning MSN RN, (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, September 6, 2011)
- Living Wills, Advance Directives and End of Life Decisions by MD H. William Song (null; null edition, January 11, 2008)
- Making Sense of Advance Directives by Nancy M.P. King, (Georgetown University Press; Revised edition, February 1, 1996)
Hospice / Palliative Care
- National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization https://www.nhpco.org/patients-and-caregivers/resources/ soon to be http://careinginfo.org
Books
- Toolkit for Caregivers: Tips, Skills, and Wisdom to Maximize Your Time Together by Deidre Edwards and Sheree Alderman, (Independently published August 11, 2019)
- Final Journeys: A Practical Guide for Bringing Care and Comfort at the End of Life by Maggie Callanan, (Bantam; Reprint edition, March 24, 2009)
- Home Hospice Navigation: The Caregiver’s Guide 1st Edition by Judith R Sands (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition, April 19, 2018)
- Some Light at the End: Your Bedside Guide for Peaceful Palliative and Hospice Care by Beth Cavenaugh, (Elizabeth Cavenaugh; 4th ed. edition, March 1, 2021)
- The Art of Dying Well: A Practical Guide to a Good End of Life by Katy Butler (Scribner; Reprint edition, February 11, 2020)
