Working with a will lawyer in Nashville can bring up some uncomfortable feelings. Those of us in this area of law are very aware of the fact that many people avoid important planning for this very reason. After all, there aren’t a whole lot of people who want to contemplate their own demise, let alone the feelings of those left behind.
Writing Your Obituary Can be a Positive Experience
Writing your own obituary can actually be kind of a cathartic experience that helps with the estate planning process. It gives you an opportunity to reflect on your own life, as well as to help shape how you will be remembered. It also takes some of the burden off of those who are left behind that might not be up to writing such an intense piece in the middle of grieving. You can write your obituary and have your will lawyer in Nashville keep it in your file so that it is ready to go when it is needed.
What to Include in Your Obituary
You don’t necessarily have to write a full obituary, but it’s a good idea to at least make a list of some key points to make it easier on the person who does the actual writing later. The guidelines for obituaries vary depending on where they will be published. Many funeral homes will place them on their web sites free of charge, but newspapers will charge to publish them. A will lawyer in Nashville will be able to tell you what local outlets expect when it comes to length and cost.
Some of the things that you may want to include are:
- Date and place of birth
- Education and employment background
- Military service
- Achievements and awards
- Family information regarding children, grandchildren, spouses, and parents
- Hobbies and interests
- A photo you would like used
Include Notes About Your Memorial Serice
In addition, you may want to include your wishes regarding memorials. If you’d like flowers sent to the church or funeral home, for instance, you can include that. It’s also common for people to request that donations be made to a favorite charity “in lieu of flowers.”
Have Others Proof-Read Your Obituary – Make Sure to Update it!
Again, you may prefer not to write the entire obituary yourself, rather you may choose to just include this information in your documents so that your family and friends have it to refer to when they create the obituary after your death. If you do choose to write your own, you may want to review it with your loved ones every once in a while to ensure that it is kept up to date and reflects any recent changes.
Further Estate Planning Exercises
If you’re new to the concept of Estate Planning and would like more information about the process, consider giving us a call. We offer a free 15-minute call that goes over the process. We’re here to answer your questions! While the call does not go over any legal advice, it does allow us to see if we are the right fit for each other.
Liked this exercise? Consider giving our Virtual Estate Plan Challenge a try! With this seven-email series, we go over the decisions you will need to make before having your will created with an Attorney.
