January was an interesting month...a health challenge for myself; three close friends passing away, including my oldest sister.

 

These milestones on life's journey got me thinking...are we prepared for our late life and end-of-life experiences? Not mentally prepared necessarily, but are we prepared legally and financially?

 

These days much of my daily life centers around helping people prepare for end-of-life. This is never easy to talk about or think about, but please consider the following for yourself or loved ones:

 

• Do you have your core legal documents prepared - a Will, a Family Trust, a Durable General Power of Attorney, and a Durable Medical Power of Attorney (with a Living Will component that addresses end-of-life directives, including organ or body donations)? Are there specific funeral directives?

 

• Do you have in place, to augment your Medicare, either a Supplement Policy or an Advantage Plan Policy? With the holes in Medicare, these components are essential. 

 

• Speaking of holes in Medicare, have you purchased a Long-Term Care Insurance Policy? Medicare provides a very bare-bones coverage for skilled nursing and nursing home care. LTC is essential in an era when we live longer and longer.

 

If any of the above directives and insurance coverages are part of your loved one's needs or your personal needs, call me - I can help.

 

As you consider these needs, take a moment to gather materials in a single, secure place and advise a key family member or friend of their location. Key materials to gather in one file:

 

• The legal documents and insurance documents mentioned above.

 

• Personal documents like marriage certificate, military papers, social security cards, deeds, loan documents, and tax records (income and various property taxes), other insurance documents, and retirement or pension programs, all including any relevant identifying account information numbers, contacts, and phone numbers.

 

• A list of names, addresses and phone numbers of doctors, lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, an any other critical life decision advisors.

 

• Medical history, including current medicines and dosages.

 

• Make sure that all debts, credit cards, utilities, car loans, and any personal loans are documented with name, account number, amount, and contact information. Include in this category any monthly bills for TV, internet, etc.

 

• Finally, passwords and user names or emails should be documented - under lock and key - to ensure those left behind have ready access to assist in closing out business.

 

Don't delay. These are vital decisions, and so many people decide to "...think about that tomorrow." 

You better call Andy...I can help.

 

The content on our site is intended to educate and inform readers of our services and general information related to the law. It is not equivalent to legal advice and should not be construed as such. You should always consult a lawyer for legal advice on your specific situation. Our content does not compare our services to other lawyers, insurance agents, consultants or suggest that the quality of our services is greater than those performed by other lawyers, insurance agents, or consultants.

​

Furthermore, using the content or features of our site does not obligate Andy Richardson Group to represent you. While we invite you to contact us, calls or submitting information online does not immediately constitute an attorney-client relationship. We urge you to refrain from sending confidential information until an attorney-client relationship has been formed.