When making a will, an experienced estate planning attorney will tell you that it’s important to keep in mind one thing that generally doesn’t belong. Did you know that your funeral plans shouldn’t be written into your will?
It’s never too early to get your affairs in order, even if you’re young and healthy. In fact, it’s important to plan ahead for the future before it’s ever crucial, so let’s explore why your will is not the best place to leave a burial plan.
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Funeral Plans
Although this is sometimes done, there are a couple of reasons why your will is not the best place to leave instructions for your funeral. Ultimately, this is because settling an estate tends to come later, after the funeral is already over, which means it’s possible your loved ones might completely overlook your wishes until it’s too late.
The best way to ensure you get what you want at your burial is to create a separate document with clear instructions regarding how you would like things done. This is something that an estate planning attorney can help you with. It’s called a “Final Arrangements” document. So, if you have specific requests, like who should speak, where the service should be held, or if you prefer to be cremated, this is the place to include those final wishes.
Creating a Final Arrangements Document
Maybe you’ve never considered the type of funeral you would like to have, but without a plan, your loved ones are left to make decisions that might not be aligned with your final wishes. When it comes to funeral plans, it’s important to take some time to think about what matters to you. These may be things like the type of flowers you want on your coffin, whether or not you would like a eulogy given at your burial, or the songs you would like played during the service.
Estate planning is a necessary and important process. The last thing you want to happen is for your loved ones to be left with the difficult task of trying to figure out what’s best for you at the end of your life. An estate planning attorney can help guide you through this decision-making process while you’re still healthy, as well as offer advice on complex legal aspects, such as wills, trusts, and other tools that will be needed in order to protect yourself and those you care about.
Talk to an Estate Planning Attorney
When it comes to your family, you can’t afford not to have an estate plan. If you’re thinking about your future, an experienced estate planning attorney can help you create legally-sound documents. Get started today by contacting Lewman Law at (925) 447-1250. We’re here to help.
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