Throughout your life when you neglect to make plans for the future it is generally you who will suffer the consequences if any arise. But when you fail to plan appropriately for the end of your life and your ultimate passing you are putting your family members in a very difficult position. Not only are you forcing them to make decisions at a time when they will be upset and bereaved, you are also creating the potential for disagreements during an extremely sensitive time in their lives.
The fact is that the majority of people who reach the age of 65 will someday need long-term care, so if you make no plans for this eventuality you may be doing your family a disservice. Driving around town trying to identify a suitable long-term care facility when you have immediate need is probably not going to be a very pleasant experience. Given the fact that the eventual need for long-term care is such a real possibility you may want be proactive and explore your options well in advance. If you can identify a preferred facility you save your loved ones from potentially having to make this decision in your behalf, and at the same time you make sure that you will be residing in a place of your own choosing.
In addition, funeral arrangements are something that you may want to be proactive about. You can actually make arrangements with a funeral home in advance if you so choose, and this takes the decision-making out of the hands of your loved ones. You may have very specific desires with regard to your final resting place and the specific details of the memorial service that you would prefer, and if you do you would do well to assert them. And to be blunt, just how simple or elaborate you may want to be with your final plans is a personal decision, and it is difficult for others to know exactly how you would want to proceed.
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- Understanding Undue Influence – Part I - November 2, 2022
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