Public Service announcement: I do a lot of elder care work. Guardianships, estate planning, and probate of wills. It never ceases to amaze to see adults, often in their 70’s themselves, fighting over estate property (What are you going to do with it? You’re 78!) and who loved mom the most. I’ve had one tied up for years over a dispute over the ashes. Uncle wants to part the ashes, daughter (administratrix) does not. Dad’s remains are sitting in a vault over at the funeral home, incurring fees, in the meantime.
Have a will, a medical directive, a power of attorney, a medical power of attorney, a HIPAA compliant authorization for friends and family, burial directive, and guardianship directive for yourself, and for your minor children.
The fees associated with the foregoing are minuscule in comparison to the fees spent by your family and heirs when you don’t have these documents. I just finished a $60,000 guardianship with two ancillary proceedings. Brother and sister fighting over mother and control of a multi-million dollar estate.
We will all die. But only a few of us will have our affairs in order.