Throughout our lives we make decisions that don’t seem to have any bearing on potential estate matters and in the grand scheme of things, they really don’t matter.
However, sometimes fussy family members intrude on their loved ones’ lives making it necessary for you to make your wishes known once and for all.
For example, you may have met your spouse in your home state, but later decide to move to your spouse’s home state where you settle down and make it your permanent home. You love your spouse and expect to always be together.
As we age, we begin to think about making final arrangements and most married couples purchase burial plots next to each other. Unfortunately, sometimes marriages suddenly fail late in life and your family may convince you to go back home. So you hastily pack up and move in order to appease insistent family members.
You move into a an apartment for senior citiizens and reconnect with your siblings. Maybe you don’t have any assets and just live very modestly, receiving social security.
But you still have the burial plot next to your ex-spouse in another state. As a matter of fact, you still get along with your ex-spouse and there is no animosity between the two of you. You don’t mind still being buried next to your ex-spouse, but your siblings and other family want you to be buried in your home state.
Usually, people who don’t have any assets can’t see the need for a Will because they don’t have anything of value to leave to anyone and they figure the family can just divide up the personal items or donate them to charity.
If you want to keep your resting place next to your ex-spouse, prepare a simple Will that explains your final wishes.
Tell your family that you want your remains transported to the burial plot you already purchased and that it is your wish to make that your final resting place. Remember, a Will is a legal document, therefore, your wishes must be honored.
In addition, you should make arrangements for ensuring that the cost of the transfer is paid for out of your estate.
You can instruct the executor of your Will to use the proceeds from an insurance policy or from your savings account or some other source that will cover the cost.
Our family members mean well and the older we get the more we need each other, but sometimes the decisions we make throughout our lives change the familial bonds we once had, so make your wishes known and put an end to potential family disputes.
Information contained in this article is not intended to be legal advice nor applicable to all situations. For legal assistance, contact an attorney in your state of residence. You can visit Arleen’s website at arleenrichards-law.info.
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