Preparing family for your departure
Although it’s not a subject we like to think about, it is a selfless
gift to lay out a comprehensive plan of your affairs in order to make
your departure as smooth as possible for family members. It doesn’t help
anyone to bury our head in the sand and pretend it’s not going to
happen. We know those left behind are often upset, so it can ease their
burden if they don’t have to figure out your affairs or tackle clearing
out excessive amounts of items from your home. You could ask yourself if
you left tomorrow, how much will they have to sort out!
What do we need to do.
Make sure all your paperwork is in order - clear, logical, easily
understood and with clear headings. It can be helpful to have it all
typed unless your writing is very easy to read.
Create a folder where family members can EASILY find. It can also
contain your Last Will and Testament duly witnessed, including mention
of any special items you’d like certain family members or friends to be
given.
It’s also good to obtain an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) to give
someone you trust full power to act for you in medical and financial
matters if you became incapable of acting for yourself. Note: It ceases
upon death. This EPOA can be arranged cheaply through a solicitor. Check
with several solicitors as costs vary considerably.
Arrange to have internet banking (very useful way to pay your bills).
Make a list of all User name and passwords clearly designated to each
area. Often there is just one beneficiary only and as bank accounts
frozen as soon as they are notified of a death, it can be very useful to
quickly transfer some money to use top pay bills. Make sure this is an
ethical action and you know you are doing the right thing.
Part of your paperwork should include full details of all your bank,
building society and credit union accounts and Pay pal; list the value
of your home and mention the good selling points and any new items
bought and repairs that are needed for before resale or renting. Also
good real estate agents in your area; your preferences about
cremation/burial; info re consent of donation of organs; whether you’re
happy for your ashes to be scattered at a favourite place or you want a
full service. P.S. Think about whether you will care about ‘ceremony’
once you are gone!
Get your filing cabinet in order or arrange a good filing system. Sort
through all photos, old papers, books, music, clothes, china and get rid
of excess. Ask family what sort of things they may want to keep after
you have gone. Get your address book up to date; make a full list of all
contacts with their email addresses.
Make a list of passwords to everything you’ve joined on the internet.
Check through everything in your records including Pay pal, social sites
as eBay, Facebook, iTunes, technical or health forums, your own website
if you have one, email details in case your family want to close down
your email account - or continue if needed. List your Membership numbers
and details of organisations such as the Tax office, Centrelink,
Qantas/other airlines Frequent flyer, Flybuys and loyalty cards.
List any direct debit payments coming out of your account that need to
be cancelled.
Write a goodbye message you would like your friends to receive about
your passing. Make a list of their email addresses. Also make a list of
people who do not have email addresses - and address the envelopes to
post a message to them. Add the message and the list of email addresses
onto a USB stick so email addresses can just be copied and pasted
straight into an email to send out. Write out personal messages to be
given to siblings, friends, parents or children. Create a CD of
favourite music to play for your send off (or make a list of known music
they can easily find.)
Make a comprehensive list of all the Services you are connected to with
their addresses and contact details so they can be notified about your
departure. Internet provider; antivirus paid protection; club
memberships; water rates, charity subscriptions; direct debits;
Centrelink details if applicable; private internet VPN, Medicare;
doctor; physiotherapist; healer; masseuse; website host; solicitor,
passport details; Premium bonds or shares; life or other insurance
policies, details of any outstanding legal matters, electricity and gas
supplier; council rates; mortgage; Body corporate; car insurance
company; NRMA/RACQ (AAA in the UK) roadside assist; telephone;
supermarket delivery membership; clothing catalogues; mobile/cell phone;
magazine subscriptions; your car make, model, year, registration/tax
date due; current market value of car and any new work done.
List, where relevant, all membership numbers, user names and passwords
of the above, including your website if you have one, your email and
service provider log in details - and exactly what actions need to be
taken in each case.
In the UK, you also need to look at the area of inheritance taxes and
find out ways this can best be offset.
It’s not easy to think of all the bits and pieces that are part of our
life so keep adding things as you notice them come up in your life.
Put all the above information on a USB stick and also back it up on an
external hard drive. It’s not a good idea to store all such details on
your actual computer, for security reasons or the computer may fail.
I’ve done all of the above to make it easier for my family to wrap up
things at that time. Mine is geared to Australian services, so
substitute the names if you are outside Australia – such as AAA for
vehicle road service used in the UK.
Love,
Sandy Stevenson
Written in 2020