Comments on: If I Should Die…

By: Kristy

Kristy — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:35:48 +0000

@ FB – That’s a good point! Jonathan, are you reading this? LOL.

@ Dawn – Ugh! I need to update the photos of my place in case of fire. As a matter of fact, I need to go back through rental insurance and make sure I’ve got enough coverage. But, I’m considering a car insurance switch, so I was going to wait until then and see about rolling it all into one company.

@ Sandy – Hmm…I’m not sure that it’s they think they will never die, but rather something they don’t want to think about in the here and now. People put it off, always thinking they’ve got another day to worry about it. I do the same. I don’t have all my finances organized logically – at least logically for anyone else but myself. However, every time I’m going on a trip I freak my mom out because I send her all my documentation and insurance information. She really hates that, but oh well. I’m covering myself and them so they know what to do.

@ Nicole – Yeah, I don’t know how it’s done either. Personally, I’ve only experienced the loss of someone close to me once and I was a kid so I didn’t have to worry about all of this. I can’t imagine trying to grieve and process this at the same time. It’s too much! I hope more and more people start preparing early.

By: Nicole

Nicole — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:32:23 +0000

When my dad died suddenly almost two years ago, I thank God he had everything already set up. The only thing that wasn’t planned was the funeral and that was hard enough. I don’t know how people deal with everything when structures aren’t in place. Way to post on this important topic. It isn’t morbid; we should all be more open to talk about death since it is such a big part of our lives.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:59:59 +0000

I believe that people think that they’ll never die! So they don’t think about beneficiaries. Personally I’ve been doing that since I was 18 and opened my first adult bank account. I figure you never know when some crazy cab driver will mow you down and your family has no access to your funds.

So now at 30 and single I have more than enough insurance and everything has a beneficiary designated on everything. The one thing I missed is the death insurance thing on the HELOC. I have to call the bank on that one.

By: kosmo @ The Casual Observer

kosmo @ The Casual Observer — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:09:51 +0000

Dawn – a video camera works great for a household inventory. Just zoom in when you need more detail. Also, it allows you to make audio notes (serial numbers of expensive electronics, for example). It’s not a bad idea to keep a copy off site in case of theft … if the thief takes your safe (I’m assuming that it is portable), you wouldn’t have your photos/video to assist you in making an insurance claim. I have a copy in a locked drawer at work.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:28:50 +0000

I think this is a great post and we need these reminders regularly!! I have some of this done. All my investment and insurance accounts have assigned beneficiaries. In my case (being single now) it is my sister. I have made my mother contingent. (My sister and I see things eye to eye, my mother and I don’t as far as finances go. Just generational differences really, but I feel better setting it this way.) I have a will, but it was written when I was still married. I have attached a handwritten document stating the will is to be executed as written except that my sister is primary beneficiary, not my ex (and included my divorce papers.) Its legal here in Michigan, (I checked) but it isn’t ideal. I need to work on that. I have been working on some kind of document or disc with all my financial information on it, but hadn’t figured out a good way to do it. The USB key is an idea….

Speaking of depressing (but important) subjects. The other thing I am doing it photographing everything in my house in case of fire. I keep it in the same safe with the will and other papers.

By: Fabulously Broke

Fabulously Broke — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:52:06 +0000

Don’t forget about an online executor :)

As bloggers, we need someone to shut down our blog properly, cash in our cheques from ad earnings and so on.

Plus, email everyone and let them know the sad news…

I have yet to designate someone but… soon. Maybe I’ll store everything on an USB key.