Do These Important Things Before You Die To Help Your Loved Ones

When my mom passed away almost seven years ago, we were grateful. Grateful for the time we had to spend with her to say everything that needed to be said, grateful that her death from ovarian cancer was peaceful, and grateful she took care of some very important things in preparation for her death.

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Mom started planning for her death, and the death of my dad, long before most people think about planning. She was getting all of their ducks in a row so we didn't have to deal with the headache of figuring things out while also trying to deal with the loss of our beloved parents.

She took care of everything and you should too. I can't begin to explain how much it helps to not have to worry about the tedious things while you are also grieving. Here are some of the things you need to do.

How to protect your digital legacy

The New York Post did a story on how to protect digital legacy after you pass. Since so much of our lives are online with protected passwords, it's really important you set up these three things, NOW.

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A "Legacy Contact" on your Apple account. Apple added a feature last year that lets other people access everything in your Apple account if you die, including photos, messages, and notes. Just go to "Password & Security" in your iPhone settings.
Your "Memorialization Settings" on Facebook. They let you name a legacy contact who can write posts for you, update your profile pic, and get a copy of everything you've ever posted.
Automatically wipe your Google history. This one is for stuff you might NOT want loved ones to see. In your Google account's "Web & App Activity" settings, there's an option to auto-delete stuff every three months.

How to lovingly and straightforwardly prepare your family for your death

My husband found a very informative Facebook post that helps break down the important things you must do before the inevitable happens. In the case of an unexpected and untimely death, the following measures will save your loved ones from the added stress that comes with NOT taking care of these things. Here are a few from Ronni Robertson's post.

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Make a list of all banks and account numbers, all investment institutions with account numbers, lists of credit cards, utility accounts, etc. Leave clear instructions as to how and when these things are paid. Make sure heirs know where life insurance policies are located.

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Make 100% sure SOMEONE knows your Apple ID, bank ID account logins, and passwords!

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Make sure you have titles for all vehicles, campers, etc!

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MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! - Talk with those closest to you and make all your wishes KNOWN. Talk to those whom you’ve designated, as well as those close to you whom you did not designate. - Do this to explain why your decisions were made and to avoid any lingering questions or hurt feelings.

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To find out more things you need to take care of before your death, click HERE.

A mother's love never dies, it prepares for the worst

Even though I didn't want to know or talk about any of these things with my mom, I'm so grateful she made me discuss and deal with what needed to be talked about and dealt with.

It was so hard to lose her, but she tried to make it as easy as she could for us to say goodbye without the added stress of the loose ends of a loved one's life. She tied those up for us. She loved us like she always had and made everything better, even after her death.

Don't leave your family without taking care of these things. Do them ASAP because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

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