For a surviving spouse, death can leave unanswered questions. As uncomfortable as it might be to discuss subjects like burial arrangements and remarriage, they should be broached as part of creating a comprehensive estate plan. Seemingly mundane details, such as the location of important documents and contact information, should also be addressed.

Location of Important Documents

To avoid unnecessary stress, couples should ensure that they are on the same page. With regard to estate planning, couples should keep each other informed about the location of important documents such as the following:

• Estate planning documents
• Life insurance paperwork
• Loan documents
• Financial account information (e.g., savings, retirement, and investment accounts)
• Usernames, passwords, and other information for accessing digital accounts and assets

Keeping finances separate, can raise estate planning issues between couples that deserve discussion. A spouse with separate accounts and property might have separate accompanying estate planning documents. If so, the other spouse should at least be in the know about them to facilitate estate administration.

Contact Information

A spouse will often be the first person to find out about their partner’s passing. After that, there may be an established priority of whom to contact next on a need-to-know basis. It should not be assumed that a husband or wife has access to these individuals’ phone numbers. To ensure that this information is accessible, it can be listed in a separate document. Outside of immediate family and friends, a spouse could be unsure about whom to get in touch with. Extended family, a religious leader, club members, professional contacts, and, if the deceased was still working, their employer may need to be contacted as well.

Burial Arrangements

Arguably the most morbid thought about death is what to do with someone’s remains. At the same time, following a person’s burial preferences is a way to ensure that they receive an appropriate send-off. In some states, the surviving spouse has the primary authority to make these decisions, absent specific instructions by the deceased. As unpleasant as it can be to discuss burial, cremation, or donation, doing so can offer the departed—and the surviving spouse—peace of mind that this most personal of decisions is honored.

Remarriage

Wedding vows famously contain the phrase “’til death do us part.” But what about after death? Whether approaching this question from a religious or a secular perspective, it is generally accepted that a widowed spouse is not doing wrong by remarrying. Depending on their age, history, and beliefs, though, some people may have strong feelings about remarriage.

A spouse who predeceases their partner may be okay with remarriage but not want the new spouse to have access to their money. Estate planning can help prevent this outcome. If there are no children involved, or if one spouse simply trusts the other to do whatever they want with the money even if it benefits the new spouse, special estate plan provisions might not be necessary. Regardless, remarriage is a topic worth discussing.

Show Love with a Thorough Estate Plan

Our passing can create complications for those we leave behind. Not having an estate plan takes the control over your accounts and property out of your family’s hands and gives it to the state. But an incomplete plan can cause problems too. Small estate planning gaps can raise big questions that leave a person’s legacy in doubt. It is never too late to revisit and update an estate plan while you are alive. Estate planning is a gift to your spouse and the best way to take care of them when you are no longer around. To show them love, contact our office and schedule an appointment.