Get Your Affairs In Order: A Simple Worksheet

Between August 2009 and January 2011, a period of about a year and a half, several people very dear to me either died or were diagnosed with illnesses that could kill them anytime.

My friend Starr, diagnosed with cancer in April 2009, died in August of that same year. My friend Jan, diagnosed with cancer in November 2009, died January 15, 2011. Two of my colleagues were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. They are alive, undergoing tough courses of chemo and radiation that may or may not save them.

Although all of these deaths and illnesses have had a great emotional impact on me, the hardest of all was the sudden death of my father, in June 2010.

"Life Legacy Card" is a name I came up with for a card, sheet, or electronic file that you use to provide your loved ones and/or your legal representative with the following information:

I. WILL
Do you have a will? If so, say where they can find it and who you've appointed as the executor.

II. ACCOUNTS
1) Lists of bank accounts, investment accounts, etc. List the account numbers. Or not - that information shouldn't be hard for your loved ones to retrieve, once they have your death certificate. The key here is to list what accounts they need to be aware of. When they know what to look for, retrieving the account numbers shouldn't be hard. (NOTE: Good idea to NOT list the passwords here. We'll get to the matter of passwords later.)
2) Lists of other accounts:
- Mortgage
- Amazon and other online merchants you have accounts with
- Brick-and-mortars stores you have accounts with (increasingly rare these days but still happens)
- Utility company
- Landlord/landlady
3) Non-money accounts but ones that are important:
- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networks
- Squidoo, Blogger, and other publishing platforms
- etc.
4) Any online services you use
- Email
- Webhosting
- Domain name registrations
(For many people, all of these will be under the same roof).

Your loved ones will naturally need to cancel these accounts. Also, in the case of social networks, they are a handy way for your loved ones to get the word out about your death.

III. PEOPLE TO CONTACT
List the names of your friends and colleagues to contact. If you have a large social and business circle, or many circles, list one or two "hub" people for each circle. Compose a form letter for your loved ones to use in getting the word out. They will be dealing with grief and with the various logistical arrangements, and any work you can save them will be a great kindness.

You might even want to make an electronic file that contains just the email addresses of those who they should contact. Then all they need to do is copy and paste into the TO line of their email.

legalzoom.com is an excellent source of free information, both on the Web and via their newsletter. Though I have never engaged their services, from what I can see they are setting out to provide affordable, user-friendly legal assistance of all kinds. The following is an excerpt from an article by B. Kaiser, which appears on their website. I suggest that you visit legalzoom.com for many other articles on this subject (and on other important legal matters such as divorce, bankruptcy, and incorporation).

1. Gather Your Thoughts

The will directs what happens to property after the owner's death. But wills can also have a strong emotional impact on loved ones. Take a moment to think about those who will need to be taken care of. Make a list. Who will have custody of your children? Who gets the deed to the family house? Who will take care of Mr. Sprinkles, the family cat? The list should include your spouse, heirs, family members, friends, pets, guardians, and anyone you wish to participate in the execution of your estate.

2. Take Inventory

Make a list of everything you-and if applicable, your spouse-own. To the extent you can, note how you own each asset-as husband and wife, as a partner, as a joint owner with siblings, etc. Note any other parties who also have an interest in your assets. Make a note of your debts, too.

3. Divide Your Assets

As your list of assets comes together, start making notes on how everything should be divided. If you want a family heirloom or amount of money to go to a certain friend or organization, this is the time to specify.

4. Select an Executor

An executor is the person responsible for making sure your wishes are honored after your death. This person will also be responsible for taking care of any legal paperwork. Since this role is quite important, be sure to talk to the person you're considering as the executor of your will. It is recommended that you select a back-up executor in the event your first choice is unable to carry out his or her duties under your will.

5. Make it Official

Consult your family attorney or use a legal service like LegalZoom to make your will official.

6. Get Witnesses

Find at least two people who will serve as witnesses to your will. These should be disinterested parties who are not mentioned in your will. Determine how many witnesses are required by the laws of the state in which you are making the will, and whether there are any other formalities.

Once your will has been finalized, keep it in a safe place at your home. Creating your will may take a little bit of time, but knowing your loved ones will be taken care of is worth the effort. Start thinking about it today.