Legal Stuff.....

[gja1000]

Gary and I are having trust set up, our will, powers of attorneys, hippa, etc etc done right now. What a bunch of legal gobbeldegook! I just hate reading that legaleze!!! We got the draft of everything and it was so hard to read because it is sooooo boring and technical. I had a few questions, and met with the attorney today - everything is OK, we just need to finish it all up and then execute it. I'll be glad when it is all done!

Have any of you done this?

[Marilyn]

We did wills a couple of years ago. We need to make a few changes since Melissa's married and a few things have changed with regard to the company. We haven't done a trust, yet. Not sure it's time for that. It's not an easy thing to do, but so much kinder for the ones we leave behind. We want to preplan and prepay for our funerals, too. My parents did that for us and it was so nice when they passed. We knew exactly what they wanted and how they wanted things done.

You are being very thoughtful, Gayle.

[gja1000]

We have to do a trust because I own part of the original farm in Oklahoma that my grandparents bought. It must go to my daughter, even if I die before my husband. It's not that I don't want him to have it, it's just that it must stay within my original family. He would not sell it to the highest bidder, but his sons would when he dies. So, we have to do the trust since I have property that is separate from the community property with him. At least this is what the attorney said would be the best. It was way more expensive that a plain old will - which of course, we have also. I'm sure it is all worth it - but it sure is a pain in the pahtoot to wade through all the legaleze.

[Tiramisu]

I don't even like dealing with insurance policies, so I know I'd bum out on making a will. We haven't done any of that and I'm not sure we ever will with the procrastinator I'm married to. He says we don't need to do anything with beneficiaries set up on everything.

[Janet]

We haven't done anything yet either and really need to. I want to make sure Ricky gets everything and doesn't have to pay a lot in taxes because of it. Not sure if that is a trust or not, but we need to be checking it out.

[Blueyes]

We have been talking about doing those exact things. Our lawyer died a couple of months ago, so we have to decide on someone else. It's so important that people do all of the medical POA's, along with a will. I'm glad you got yours done, but it IS enough to give you a headache

[gja1000]

Betsi,
We've been putting it off for five years!!! With our husband's health, you and I really need to make this happen. People encouraged me for years to do it, but it took this long!!! So I know how hard it is to take that step! Anyway, I hope you choose another attorney and get it done soon.

[DianaB]

We haven't done anything yet either. We really need to and we've talked about it for years! I think that I'll bring it up again.

[judy]

I did a will years ago so that Jessie wouldn't have to pay taxes, etc. like you said, Janet.

I don't even know where that will is, and things have just become more complicated these days. I have begun to gather some papers and I'm planning to sit down with Jessie and Steve to work out the details. Of course, she gets everything. As much as I don't like to say it, however, she does have MS, and I do have to work out the order of beneficiaries between Steve and the three children. There's also a living will that needs to be done, funeral stuff, who will have control should I not be able to make decisions, and so on.

I don't want a funeral, and I don't want to be buried. I also don't want to be cremated. I want to donate my organs. Jessie does not like any of this. She wants to have a place to go to visit me. I told her to frame one of my tattoos and hang it on the wall so she could visit it. Or...to pick a body part and put it in a container on her mantle. She does not have my sense of humor!

The truth is, I will be dead and she will be left to grieve, so she probably will get what she wants. I will then have to prepay my funeral, and won't be able to make it fun because she's just not like me in that sense.

There are people who choose to be buried in the ground without a casket. I think it's illegal, but it is still done. I don't really want that, but it is interesting that there are so many choices.

[gja1000]

I would like to donate my body to a medical school - my daughter freaks when I say that. The family is still responsible for the remains when the school is finished with them...

My cousin, who wants to be cremated, and I have talked about getting a bench with our names on it to put in the cemetary where the rest of our family is buried - so that loved ones can "go there" to visit us, but we won't actually "be there". LOL!

[judy]

Originally Posted by gja1000

I would like to donate my body to a medical school - my daughter freaks when I say that. The family is still responsible for the remains when the school is finished with them...

My cousin, who wants to be cremated, and I have talked about getting a bench with our names on it to put in the cemetary where the rest of our family is buried - so that loved ones can "go there" to visit us, but we won't actually "be there". LOL!

There you go!