Planning

Death Care: Planning Basics

Talk about it. The most important thing you can do to prepare for the inevitable end of life is to discuss it with your family and the people close to you. Tell them what you would like. Ask them what they would like.

Get input. It is also important to consider what your family can manage, financially, logistically and emotionally.

Make decisions. Even the most minimal death care has a few requirements that you need to address. We have outlined some of the basic decisions you need to consider.

Gather information. There is a great deal of information that your survivors will need in order to handle your affairs after you die. You need to gather together this info and make your family aware of its location.

We have a list (Checklist A--Information to be assembled before death) that will help guide your information-gathering efforts.

For members, the member Planning Form that you fill out and distribute to family members will contain information about the choices you have made as well as much of the information needed for the Death Certificate (see sample Death Certificate form). You should keep a copy of the planning form in your files.