Just In Case Planning
Do you have a will? Does someone else know your home alarm code? After you are gone, are there items in your home that a loved one might find upsetting? Rather you know it’s coming soon or it feels far off, many people are not prepared for their death.
The new year is a perfect time to take a look at where you’re at when it comes to planning for your “just in case.”
Getting Started
Often, the hardest part of planning is getting started. The free website Just In Case Planning separates your plans into six easy to use forms that you can easily share with loved ones or save to file with other important documents.
Wills and End of Life Care
Wills and decisions about end of life care are probably the topics you would think of first when thinking about planning for “just in case.” However, according to a Gallup poll, only 40% of Americans of all ages report that they have prepared a will.
Setting up advance directives and medical power of attorney is something you may think of as needing only when you are diagnosed with a serious medical issue, but the reality is at any moment your loved ones may have to make decisions that they were not prepared to make. Giving them the confidence that they are making the right decision for you can alleviate so much stress from an already stressful situation.
Funeral Considerations
Everything from burial preference, song choice, and even an obituary can be prepared in advance when it comes to funeral planning. Creating a plan with a funeral home or even writing down your wishes for a loved one can ensure that you are remembered for what matters most to you.
Reflections
Planning for “just in case” can feel administrative and unemotional, taking time to also include letters of reflection to loved ones can be a priceless gift and legacy to leave behind. Just in Case Planning includes prompts to guide you in creating these letters.
Financial Organization
Financial organization can feel daunting, but ensuring that your beneficiaries are current and match any wishes spelled out in other documents is a great place to start. Just In Case Planning also includes forms to list your financial accounts and creates a downloadable document where you have the option to fill in any online login information to securely store in the event that someone would need to access or cancel any accounts.
Digital and Physical Clean Up
In this digital age, almost all of us have bills we pay online, automatically, that we may not even think about from month to month. Just In Case Planning provides a form for you to list out all recurring charges (things like streaming services, cloud storage, subscription boxes, etc.) that hit your account every month/quarter/year that would need to be canceled or transferred in the event of your death.
Physical clean up should not be overlooked either. Does someone else have a copy of your house key? Does someone else know your home security code? Does someone else know where your storage unit is? Are there items in your home that a loved one might find upsetting? These are details that are often overlooked when planning for “just in case.”
Just In Case Planning
The free resource, Just In Case Planning helps people work through the process of preparing for the inevitable by keeping track of pertinent end of life documents, recording funeral considerations, creating a digital clean-up plan, and providing a space for reflections and messages for loved ones.
Peace of Mind
The Just In Case Planning tool is a wonderful gift to leave for those who want to honor your wishes and may not know your preferences. You have the ability to update and modify your preferences, and the information is available to those individuals to whom you have granted access. One never knows when an accident or illness may impact our ability to function. There is now a place where your “critical” information about your preferences and wishes can be readily available to those that need to make important decisions on your behalf. Give the gift of peace of mind not just to yourself, but also to those who are important to you.
