As morbid as it sounds to think of, tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and not everyone is lucky enough to get to know when their last breath is their last or when they will never come home again. Sadly, death is an everyday part of life, and when you have a family, thoughts of what will happen and whether they will survive without you will likely be prevalent.
While you can never thoroughly prepare for the unexpected, there is something you can do for your loved ones in the event of your passing so that both your wishes are granted, and they know exactly what you wanted once you can no longer tell people.
Make A Will
These days, there are templates you can find online to help you put a will together. These wishes won’t be legally binding unless they’ve been witnessed by two people who aren’t beneficiaries, and it’s in writing, written by someone over the age of 18 and of sound mind. It’s a good idea to have it witnessed by a lawyer or notary for extra validity. Make sure that you update your will periodically or as your circumstances change to ensure it’s as recent and updated as possible.
Confirm Funeral Arrangements
Not everyone wants an elaborate funeral. Some people prefer to be cremated rather than buried, and vice versa, while others might be looking for cremation-only or the cheapest funeral options, which typically is cremation-only. If you have certain feelings for or against certain types of funerals or details you want to be included, such as burial plots, then your loved ones need to know now so they can take action should they need to.
Organ Donor
Do you want to be an organ donor? In the event of a person’s death, doctors will examine their body to see if there is anything they can donate to others to help them live. Organ donation in the UK is voluntary, so you need to opt in. But even if you don’t, telling those closest to you of your wishes can help them make the decision based on what you would have wanted. Maybe you’re happy for your organs to be donated but not eyes or skin, or you wish to donate as much as you want or nothing at all. People need to know so they are informed should the situation arise.
Guardianship
This is a detail you can add to your will if you wish, but if you have children or even pets, inform others who will care for them. This is vital if there is no other parent in the picture or you don’t want the other parent gaining custody. You might need to make things official by signing legal documents so this can be executed in the event of your death if you’re unable to make plans. But if you don’t make a clear request for who will care for children or pets, there could be a potential custody issue within the family, or your children could potentially end up in care or pets in the wrong hands.