A death letter, also known as a letter of instruction, is a letter to your children or other loved ones where you would want them to open it incase of a severe illness, disability or death. The letter is not a legal document. Consider it instead as a roadmap to those important papers, financial documents and perhaps any personal requests which are not laid out in your will or trust.
When writing this letter, be specific. Include the sort of end-of-life wishes you want the person who holds your health-care proxy to know. Include specific last requests such as if you want certain prayers or music at your funeral or you want your body to be treated a certain way. Resist the temptation to unload and say negative things to people in your life. Remember, you are writing to your loved ones.
Remember to talk about the letter to your family. You should tell your children whay you have written the letter and what you hope they get from it. Having the talk allows the other person to ask questions or get clarification.
Ease your family's burden by including this information in a death letter / letter of instruction. An easy way to keep track of this information is by using Bridge Beyond's Final Wishes Planner
- Estate-planning documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney)
- Financial records such as tax returns, deeds, bank and brokerage statements, loans, credit card statements
- Safe-deposit boxes and the location of the keys. If you do not have one then say so
- Insurance policies especially life insurance and any prepaid death benefits
- Life insurance and long-term-care policies
- Social Security
- Banks, credit union and brokerage accounts and include online passwords
- People you do business with, including employer, business partners, attorneys, accountants and financial planners
- Friends and family that you would want to be informed about your death
- Your funeral home if you have already made arrangements. Include any special instructions about your memorial service.
Read the letter once a year to make sure it reflects any changes you have made in your financial life or thinking. It is also a good time to review the beneficiaries on your retirement plans (e.g. 401k, pension plans). You might want to pick a specific date such as when you file your taxes or on a birthday, Mother's or Father's Day.
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