Spring Time Renewal all Around
As a born and raised Oregonian, I do not mind all the rain that we receive here in the pacific northwest. The moisture keeps the trees green, the lakes and rivers filled, the flowers blooming, and it sustains diverse wildlife. However, as much as we needed all the snow and rain we received this winter, I’m looking forward to spring more than I ever have before. As the season of renewal and rebirth, it’s another opportunity to reprioritize what is important in life and that energy can be transferred into end-of-life planning.
Renew Documents
If you feel like you already have your affairs in order, now is a good time to review all of the documents. Are there assets that need to be added to or removed from your will or trust? Perhaps how you wish to disperse them has changed. Maybe you need to add more life insurance to cover your family’s lifestyle, pay off debt, or care for a child with a disability?
Do you need to update what happens to your underage children if you are no longer around to care for them? Has the situation of those who have agreed to care for them changed? Do they still have the health and resources to give your kids the care they need? Maybe as your kids grow you realize that there may be a better family who is more suited to raise them.
If you have not secured the proper end-of-life documents, now is a great time to start. Here is a link to some free downloads to help get you started.
Renew Relationships
Because proper end-of-life planning normally requires good communication amongst family members, it’s a good time to renew relationships on a variety of levels. While talking about death and the future with your spouse and children may be scary, it can lead to some deep and meaningful conversations.
In addition, we always recommend that you inform your parents, siblings, and any other family who might have an interest in how your funeral is planned, the disposition of your body, and/or any part of your estate. Imagine how that conversation might go, “Hey, wanted to let you know I’ve got my funeral planned and trust all set up.” “Wait, what? Are you sick? What’s happening?” Once you reassure them that you’re okay and that you’re just thinking ahead, maybe this will remind all of you that life is short and you’ll find ways to reconnect more often.
Renew Priorities
Thinking about your death and your family’s future beyond your life will inevitably make you question your current priorities and might help you flip the script on your motivations in life. The question of whether you live to work or work to live may suddenly take on a whole new meaning.
