04/27/2020
We’ve always known that tomorrow was never promised. This COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront facing our mortality. This should cause everyone to stop and take action about securing things for anyone that we love or are responsible for should we leave them behind.
Here’s a Bakers Dozen list of things to act upon:
1. Do you have a current Will or Trust?
2. Are guardians for minor children properly identified and appointed?
3. Have you updated a list of all accounts, investments, 401ks, IRA’s with contact information for your agent or the company?
4. Have you reviewed and updated all beneficiary designations on all life insurance, annuities, IRA and Roth IRA, retirement accounts, pensions, bank accounts?
5. Have you listed all credit card, installment loan and mortgage information?
6. Have you created any formalized funeral or burial arrangement instructions?
7. Have you created an up to date listing of all usernames and passwords? Does someone you trust know where that is?
8. If you have a Trust, have all intended trust assets been properly transferred and retitled?
9. Have you created a personal letter of instruction that defines and describes and includes personal thoughts, wishes and directives? Do you have legal documents including Power of Attorneys (POAs), Living Will, Medical Directives?
10. Do you have accurate information about and a strategy for your social security benefits and who will have access to what and when?
11. Do you have written information about any other survivor benefits, pensions, life insurance and annuities?
12. Do you have an accurate and honest assessment of what your loved ones (spouse and or children) will have to live on and be able to actually spend when your income (and you) is permanently gone?
13. Have you accurately and honestly put in place a suitable amount of life insurance to make up the difference between what they’ll have and what they’ll actually need?