Be Prepared....

Life is busy.  Hectic.  We are all going at a frantic pace, trying to raise kids, do our jobs, run to 18 sporting events each weekend, while keeping up with the laundry and grocery shopping (can I get an Amen?).  Amid the hayrides, pumpkin carving, homecoming photos, and football championships, it seems like something is always happening.  Not always good things.  On a wide scale it sometimes seems like the world is coming unhinged.  On a personal level, my Facebook feed has been filled with breast cancer (3 new cases recently), new widows, and and far too many illnesses and medical diagnoses.  Sometimes it is downright depressing.

We have all been there.  Leading our idyllic life with our happy family when tragedy or misfortune strike.  Job loss, job stress, cyber bullying, cancer, car accidents, unknown medical issues with no treatment in sight, and even loss.  No family is immune.  My family was not prepared when we were shocked by loss.  What can a person do?  Be as prepared as possible, I guess.  I wasn't and as hindsight being 20/20 I thought I would offer you my two cents (for what it's worth).  I can't change what happened to me, but I can help you be prepared....at least in the practical aspects of life.

1.  Life Insurance.  You need this.  Now if you don't have any.  Yes, even if you are young.  We didn't have life insurance when my husband passed away.  We had a meeting with a life insurance rep coming up (less than two weeks away) and Michael had completed his physical just months before.  But you need life insurance. Even if you are 23 years old you need it.  And you need more than what it costs to bury you, because there is a huge loss of income in the life of a family when the primary breadwinner is not longer earning money.  If you have kids it's even more important.  Kids are expensive.  Really expensive.  My life would look very different if I could have paid off our home and put money away for the kids college.  I have some struggles ahead of me.  I don't look forward to it.  I don't want that for anyone.   This is crucial - as in don't delay.  Tomorrow if you are reading this at night, today if you aren't.

2.  Passwords.  This was another post loss struggle for me.  Michael paid the bills.  I didn't know the passwords to any of our accounts, even the bank account!  I didn't even know how to check the voice mail on our home phone!  I tried to call companies to close or move accounts into my name.  "We need to speak to the account holder if you do not have the pin".  "The account holder is deceased ma'am, he cannot speak to you or anyone."  No one needs to go through this.  Keep passwords somewhere.  Phone passwords too or have your finger in there!!   Put them in a safe place, but know them if you have joint accounts.  If you are single, put them somewhere for a trusted person to find, or better yet tell them where they can find them.  It is hard to do anything in this password protected world without passwords.  It is frustrating too, and adds stress to an already difficult situation.  Looking back it was so foolish.  Who can't check their own bank account or voicemail.  

3.  Accounts.  Have a list of accounts.  Update it.  Yearly, or quarterly, just keep up with it.  I found papers in my basement recently to an account in my husbands name.  I don't remember it and I am going to have to look into it SIX years later.  

4.  Pin Numbers and security questions.  Know these too.  Favorite restaurant, first grade teacher's name, first pet......have a conversation.  Make a list.  I can still see myself sitting on my front porch guessing the answers to these questions.  It's not fun.  

5. Important Papers:  When someone dies you need all sorts of papers.  You get all sorts of papers. You need a system.  A place for every paper, and every paper in it's place.  I have a binder now.  I recommend a binder or some kind of place for everything.  Here is a link similar to the binder I have now - EMERGENCY BINDER.  It does make life easier.  When we needed passports, everything was there.  Drivers licenses, the same.   in a situation where you are distraught.  

6.  Have a conversation about "What Ifs":  What if you die......  Do you want t be cremated?  Buried?  Where?  What songs do you want at your funeral?  Do you even want a funeral?  If you want to be cremated where do you want your ashes to be scattered?  I didn't know any of these answers. 

It's not fun stuff.  But it's reality.  Take the time.  Have the conversations.  And get life insurance.  It's important.