While still reflecting on the wonderful Christmas celebrations with family, we start to look at the New Year ahead. Most of us are busy thinking through New Year’s resolutions and writing down goals to be accomplished in 2018.
It’s fun to write down our goals for things that may or may not happen. But most of us fail to plan for WHAT WILL HAPPEN! You see, one out of one people die and only God knows when that will be! It could be tomorrow or 40 years from now. Since we don’t know when that day will be, it is so important to plan for how your family will carry on without you.
We love our families and have just spent time and money on gifts and celebrations just this week to show our love. Take that love for your family a step further in 2018 by planning and preparing your own Family Legacy Drawer.
Planning for when we are no longer around never seems to reach a position of high priority. MAKE IT YOUR #1 PRIORITY FOR 2018. It’s the perfect way to show your family how much you love them!
Listed below is a suggested framework for The Family Legacy Drawer:
- Will/Trust Documents
- Listing of Financial Accounts/Net worth Statement
- Current Household Budget
- All Insurance Information (Life, Health, Home, Liability, etc.)
- Important Document Listing and Location (Birth Certificates, Passports, Property Deeds, etc.)
- Safe Deposit Box Content Listing
- Tax Returns (last three years)
- Password/PIN Numbers to online accounts (or location where they can be found)
- Funeral Instructions/people to contact
- Listing of personal items/heirlooms and who should receive them
- Personal/Spiritual Legacy
- Love letters to your family
This is just a sample framework. You may have more or less categories and items in your own family legacy drawer. The important thing is not to get overwhelmed with the list. Schedule it on your calendar and work on one item at a time. Once you start the process, you will be surprised by how easily and quickly it will come together.
This truly is a new year’s resolution that will benefit the whole family and give you peace of mind as well. Do this before it’s too late…..
