This list of documents for end of life will help you to cover all the bases for yourself or a loved one.
- A Will
- Advance Medical Directive
- Personal Property List
- General Power of Attorney
- Appointee Agreement for Disposition of Remains
- Funeral/Memorial Instructions
A Will provides for the disposition of your assets; in its absence, the State has strict rules about what will happen to your property.
The Advance Medical Directive allows you to state what health care measures you do or do not want taken if you become incapacitated and can no longer speak for yourself, and it allows you to designate an individual to make medical decisions in that event.
When referenced by your Will, a Personal Property List provides a way to itemize family heirlooms and items and designate to whom you want to leave them without having to modify your will each time you make a change.
A General Power of Attorney designates someone to handle your affairs when you are not able and allows you to specify how much or how little power you want to give that person over your affairs.
Appointee Agreement for Disposition of Remains relates to Virginia law and allows you to specify in a binding way someone to make the decision of what is to be done with your remains. This is especially useful if you want cremation. It allows for this one agent to carry out the cremation order. Without it, many funeral homes will not cremate unless the spouse or all surviving children agree.
Funeral-memorial instructions are a way to let your survivors know what you would like. Funeral instructions should not be part of your will. They should be a separate document.
If you need assistance with any of these documents for end of life, please contact fcavbr@gmail.com.
Read More
Did You Forget? The Most Important Part of Funeral Planning
Virginia Advance Medical Directive
