I do get excited about planning a party!
I can tell you it will be BLACK TIE & FABULOUS!
(My sisters have explicit design, decor & event details!)
I can tell you it will cost over $100K.
(That’s why you have lots of life insurance!)
Trust me when I say it’s a party I’ve planned for that I will never attend.
Although, that’s only up until I’m 80.
I have a much smaller party planned for when I die at 120 – which btw, is the age I plan on dying at.
And, I do realize, that you, dear reader, will most likely probably have pre-deceased me when I’m 120 – well, many of you anyways, so I realize the crowd will be smaller and none of my besties will really be there – maybe some nursing home lovers….
Maybe more Dom & Cristal cuvée for those still alive to make it to my funeral. 🙂
But none the less, let’s be honest – the party is all about my ego, because none of that really matters when you are gone.
You will be gone, and there will be people left behind.
And that will probably be – if you are lucky – a few lovers, a few kids, a few dogs, a few good friends, a few charities, you know…..
Or maybe you are surrounded by all those people and none of them like you…
Maybe no one does.
Maybe millions do love you.
It really doesn’t matter when you die – who likes you and who doesn’t.
Heck, it doesn’t even matter today.
What matters is what you can control.
And you can control who YOU love & how YOU love.
You can BE LOVE and demonstrate LOVE to the people you love and care about. (Yes, you can be love to the people who don’t even like you – I know – it’s a wild idea!)
How do you do that when you are dead?
Easy.
You take time today.
You take 2-4 hours and think through & write down:
- how you want your loved ones to remember you by
- how you want to go out (final arrangements)
- how you want your assets and your life’s work to be divided among the people
- spend an hour and get life insurance – you probably don’t have enough and for young people it’s inexpensive!
- spend an hour and get a will
- draft up wishes and pull the plug documents
- who gets the painting, the car, and the china pattern, star wars figurines..
This isn’t funny – I mean, I think it is, but only in the sense that YOU – you whom have not done this – YOU think you aren’t dying.
And sure maybe not today.
But none know the day or hour or minute.
And you haven’t done this because either:
a) you haven’t experienced the frustration and overwhelm of having to clean up someone you love’s estate
b) you really do think you aren’t dying and can’t look death in the face
Shouldn’t that scare you into making sure it’s all packaged up nicely, today.
Even at the ripe old age of 18, 25, 33, 39, 43, 48, 53, 65…..
You get my drift.
Don’t be an ASS after death and leave your family in a lurch.
There I said it. Super harsh I know.
And I damn well meant it.
You are an ADULT now.
A sane, healthy, thinking on your own adult.
Then it’s time to….
Adult.
It literally only takes a couple hours!
Once and done (for many years anyways!)
And I’m not even talking the spiritual side, the “what happens” and “where do I go when I die” – that’s not for this blog. (Although, I am happy to share my beliefs any day of the week if one were to inquire.)
BUT OBVIOUSLY, as a human, I would take time to very carefully consider your options for the other side if you haven’t! 😉
Here’s the deal: You are dying – plan for your death.
I’ve seen estates go all the ways – good, bad, & ugly.
Planned deaths not executed properly.
Unplanned deaths a disaster and crippling the family left behind.
Fights, Ugliness, Unneeded Pain!
Why be the person who is adding to that?
(I mean, yes, I know people are people and still crazy even with proper distributions of assets, but you’d be surprised at how specific wishes reduces law suits, anger, tempers, wrecked relations, etc…)
Planning for your death takes one final bit of stress off of the people who will be grieving you and gives them clear instructions.
Trust me when I say, nothing is worse than having your family GUESS and FIGHT as to what your wishes were on top of trying to grieve you.
Your family is also trying to make sure they don’t screw up your legacy – which isn’t their job!
Planning for your death means lower legal fees, probate, and final expense costs – meaning there is more money for your family, friends or cause.
Don’t make what is already going to be the worst day in someone else’s life even harder.
You have the power to make someone else’s life easier, less stressful, less overwhelming on what will inevitably be one of the hardest days of their life – losing beautiful YOU.
I don’t care how old you are, if you are single, or if you have no debt or no kids under 18.
ALL the people NEED to do this. It should be law when you turn 18.
You have the choice to leave the world a better place OR increase the chaos and stress in the world – even by a little bit….
The choice is yours.
You are making your choice now as you sit and don’t do anything about it.
Don’t be THAT person.
Please spend the few hours it takes to get this organized now (or review your plan!)
That’s how you –
Live Your Legacy!
xxL
PS. If you want a checklist and sample copies of what to get ready for your estate, please go to financialbliss.ca and sign up to get all the estate planning documents!
