A plea

T

thataway

Active member
We are one extended family on C Brats, and I want to share a plea to all.

Please have your affairs in order, no matter what your age, or what stage you are in life. Especially if you have a spouse, children or even older parents. Have someone selected to manage your affairs.

Everyone needs a Durable Power of Attorney, a valid Will and an advanced health care directive which is valid in their state of residence.

You never know when something may happen in life that your are disabled or incapacitated. I won't go into details, but we have a friend who is incapacitated, yet did not get these documents in order. We have to help manage her affairs. It makes for a very difficult situation without proper documentation.

An unrelated matter; life is very short and you never know when it will abruptly end. Marie's closest friend was found unresponsive this morning, and is brain dead. Organ harvest is occurring this PM. Our hearts are very heavy and tears in our eyes.

Hug, and keep close to you those who are dear to you in life.
 
Dr. Bob,

We are sorry to hear of your loss, but thanks for sharing the good advice. Our thoughts are with you.

Regards,

Nick and Marcia
"Valkyrie"
 
Everyone needs a Durable Power of Attorney, a valid Will and an advanced health care directive which is valid in their state of residence.
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Very sound advice.

One of my brothers, an attorney, hectored me until I got it done. Otherwise, I doubt I would've bothered.

It's easy to put off because there's no sense of immediacy.

But, as Bob points out,
you never know when it will abruptly end
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Yes, very good advice. I work for a mortgage company. It never ceases to amaze me that people have BIG mortgages into thier 80s. Then the husband dies. Not only can't the wife afford to keep the house in many cases, but she has been kept in the dark about all their finances.

I do not want to become didatic, but pay your house, vehicles, and other long term debt off as you age. Keep your spouse informed of your finances. Live beneath your means. Spend time on the water.
 
And donate organs when possible! I have several patients that see well enough for a normal functional life only because of the gift of donated corneas (eyes). There is not much to look at below ground.
 
Sage advice Dave! Another thing we see is that husbands have taken full pensions, and then left the wife with only social security and maybe a little savings.
 
Dr. Bob,

Sincere sympathy. This is the part of growing old that no-one can warn us about. It is truly hard to see one's friends and relatives pass before us.

Merv & Kathy
 
Bob and Marie,

Our sincere condolences. We all know that no one gets out of here alive. One of the most considerate things we can do is make things easy on our loved ones at this difficult time. Thanks for the reminder.

Our thoughts are with you,
Jim & Joan
 
thataway":9yj395nd said:
Sage advice Dave! Another thing we see is that husbands have taken full pensions, and then left the wife with only social security and maybe a little savings.
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I took a reduced pension so that, if I go first, Dotty will keep getting my full pension, in addition to her own. Since we retired from the same place on the same day, and knowing the actuarial chances, I had asked Dotty to take her entire pension and leave me out of it. Recently she confided that she too took the reduced pension. I like to think about it like that O. Henry Christmas story, The Gift of the Magi.
 
I'm sorry for your loss. And your advice is sound. Penny and I review our affairs and documents every couple of years to ensure that everything is still relevant.
 
I had a talk withg my folks before Christmas 2010 about this very thing. Not that I wanted to have to need it any time soon. Of course my dad, who was a finacial adviser and estate planner should have had everything in order, but didn't.

Through 2011 when we talked he would update me on the progress of setting everything set up so that my mind would be at ease.

Dad passed away Christmas morning of 2011. Because he had things taken care of and well laid out, it was much easier on my mom finalizing the things that needed to be done with his passing. Even with things planned out, there is still much for the surviving spouse to do. I can't imagine what a mess it could have been if he hadn't gotten things in order.

One never knows when one's time is up.
 
Having lost both my mother & father in the last two yrs I'd have to agree w/ Matt. My mom/dad had a good estate attorney and it was all spelled out. I'm glad they had the forethought to take care of it all, but sitting around the table while it was read by the attorney was like a scene from a movie.

Although I'm a little younger than some of you I have a rather high risk career. I finally had a will, living will etc done last year. Now I have to update it. I have seen the effects on families of fallen officers when they were not prepared for that dreadful day.

Sitting w/ the attorney, going over my "life", I couldn't help but think; "Where did all the time go?" :|
 
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