What to Include in a Letter of Instruction to Your Family about End of Life Wishes

To minimize your family’s level of distress and conflict after your death, consider writing a letter of instruction to ensure they understand and will honor your desires.  This letter is not to replace other estate planning documents but is a helpful tool used to help your loved ones with funeral arrangements and the handling of your personal and financial documents.  The following is a list of items you should remember to include in this letter of instruction to make it as clear as possible.

• List anyone (including individuals and groups) who you want to be notified of your death. If there is anyone who you do not want to be notified, include this as well.  If you can, include updated contact information.
• Describe what burial method you would like and indicate whether you have already paid for funeral arrangements. Also describe any specifics about what you want your funeral to look like.
• Make a list of all financial accounts and contact info for people associated with your accounts and estate planning such as attorneys, financial planners, stockbrokers, etc.
• If your estate planning documents include donating any of your assets to charity, list relevant contact info for the recipients.
• Give the location of important personal documents such as birth certificate, marriage certificates, divorce papers, etc. This information should be in a secure location which only certain trusted people, such as the personal representative of your will, can access.
• State planned arrangements for who should care for your pet and how. Pet trusts can also be set up to provide more structure to pet care.

For help ensuring your estate plan is clear and will allow your assets to be distributed exactly as you desire, contact our office at (941) 906-1231.