Final Wishes Slide 1 Welcome, everyone! Thanks for attending this educational event. For those of you who aren’t currently members of Modern Woodmen of America, we’re glad you’re here. Educational programs are one of the many ways Modern Woodmen gives back to our members nationwide. If you ’ d like to learn more about other member benefits we offer, please see me after this program. I’d be glad to provide you some information. The topic of [today ’ s/tonight ’ s] presentation is Final Wishes, an online resource to help Modern Woodmen members plan for and communicate end-of-life wishes to loved ones. Slide 2 Many people plan for their financial futures. They understand the importance of discussing topics like life insurance, retirement planning or college funding with family members. But many people don ’ t plan and communicate their final wishes to loved ones. As a result, those they leave behind can face many financial decisions and other issues they may be unprepared to deal with. A 2013 survey conducted by The Conversation Project revealed that, while more than 90 percent of Americans think it ’ s important to talk about end-of-life wishes, less than 30 percent have actually held these kinds of conversations. Source: “ New Survey Reveals ‘ Conversation Disconnect ’ . ” TheConversationProject.org. 9/18/13.
Slide 3 Planning your end-of-life wishes ahead of time provides you peace of mind. When you make your final wishes known, you can be confident they are understood and will be carried out by those you trust. There ’ s another reason to preplan: when a l oved one dies, it’s oft en a very emotional time. I’m sure many of you have experienced this firsthand. When you ’ re grieving, it can be overwhelming to handle funeral arrangements, burial details, financial tasks, etc. The better you plan ahead, the less burdensome these responsibilities will be for those you leave behind. [Speaker note: Feel free to share a personal story related to the loss of a loved one at this point.] Here’s something to think about: How will your loved ones know about your final wishes unless you tell them? Slide 4 In this presentation, we ’ ll explore Modern Woodmen ’ s Final Wishes fraternal benefit. This online resource is an end-of-life planning tool. The Final Wishes benefit can be used in several ways: You can easily plan end-of-life matters and communicate your final wishes to those you ’ ll leave behind. When the time comes, your loved ones can use the information you ’ ve saved and stored on your computer to carry out your plans. Since they ’ ll know your wishes, they won ’ t be burdened with decisions like how your funeral and other matters should be handled. You can access information that helps you handle your loved ones ’ final affairs in the future. Slide 5 From the Final Wishes homepage, you can select from six topics. Your Wishes helps you gather and organize information your loved ones will need after your death. By completing the Emergency Contact List in this section, you ’ ll provide those you love with the names, phone numbers and email addresses of key people who should be notified after your death or in case of emergency. This list might also include friends and family members, your accountant, attorney, local Modern Woodmen financial representative, executor of your estate and your employer.
Slide 6 If you ’ re not organized, your loved ones may have a difficult time handling your financial affairs after you die. In the Your Wishes section, you ’ ll also find a Financial Information Checklist, which can help you develop a filing system for your paperwork. You can also create an overview of your financial accounts. This will ensure your loved ones know what types of accounts you have, what investments you ’ ve made and the financial institutions with which you do business. Slide 7 Question: Do you know where all your important documents are located right now? Sometimes, people have important documents scattered in several places. Imagine their grief-stricken loved ones, stressed out and frustrated, trying to track down the information they need to manage their final affairs. In the Your Wishes section, you can describe the location of your will, insurance policies, deeds, trust documents, powers of attorney and other important papers. You can also include contact information for each document in case your loved ones have questions or need assistance. If you handle your finances online, you can identify websites, as well as usernames and passwords, for financial institutions and social media accounts. Slide 8 Your funeral can create a lasting memory for those who are near and dear to you. By preplanning, you can show love to those you leave behind and make a final statement about your life. In the Your Wishes section, you can provide loved ones with information they ’ ll need to obtain your death certificate. It also documents your wishes concerning your funeral, memorial service, obituary and more. You can also review average funeral costs and complete a life insurance needs analysis in the Your Wishes section. This will provide a quick estimate of the amount needed to cover a funeral and related expenses. Having the right amount of life insurance in place at the time of your death could take a heavy financial burden off your loved ones and make a difficult time a little easier.
Slide 9 As you consider end-of- life matters, you’ll need to identify responsible adults who can and are willing to carry out your final wishes. A key question to ask yourself is: Who can I trust to properly handle my final wishes? Keep in mind this doesn’t have to be one individual. For example, you could have one person handle your funeral arrangements and another handle your financial matters. As you narrow down candidates, consider each person’s emotional make -up, as well as his or her physical distance from you. Remember, it’s important to personally communicate your final wishes to the people you choose. And make sure they ’ ve agreed to assume the responsibility for carrying out those wishes! Slide 10 In the Legal Considerations section of Final Wishes, you ’ ll learn about wills, trusts and a plan for minors. A will outlines how your estate will be distributed after you die and is one of the most important documents in end-of-life planning. Trusts make it possible to leave assets to those you care about – including minors and special-needs individuals – without giving them complete control. A plan for minors is very important. If a plan isn ’ t in place and both you and your spouse die, a court will appoint a guardian for your under-age children. This individual might not be your first choice – or your kids ’ ! Slide 11 You ’ ll also find information about powers of attorney and the role of an executor under Legal Considerations. As you may know, a power of attorney is a legal document that lets you appoint someone to make financial and health care decisions for you if you ’ re unable to do so. The executor of your estate must make many decisions and manage a variety of tasks. This section describes the role and responsibilities.
Slide 12 The Leaving a Legacy section of Final Wishes gives you food for thought on “ living on ” by supporting charities, donating your organs and passing on your possessions. By the way, did you know you can make a sizable donation to a favorite charity or nonprofit organization – often at a fraction of the cost – through a charitable gift of life insurance? Life insurance can make it possible for you to help your loved ones even after you ’ re gone. The proceeds could pay for: Final expenses. Outstanding debt like a mortgage, car loan or credit card balance. Education for children or grandchildren. Your Modern Woodmen financial representative can help you choose life insurance plans that are right for you and your unique goals. Slide 13 Today, many family members live at a distance from each other, and of course we ’ re all very busy! As a result, stories and wisdom from previous generations aren ’ t shared as they used to be. Sadly, these memories are sometimes lost forever. The Leaving a Legacy section of the Final Wishes online resource outlines how to create legacy letters and legacy videos. These can give you a chance to say all those things you haven ’ t had an opportunity to share with the people you most deeply care about. This section also contains a family tree form. By following the step-by-step instructions, you can preserve important ancestral information for generations to come. Slide 14 The topics I ’ m bringing up can be difficult to think about – and even harder to discuss. We don ’ t want to admit we won ’ t be around forever. End-of-life planning begins with accepting that, ready or not, that “ last day ” will come for all of us. And it will come for those we love as well. The Talking About Your Wishes section of the Final Wishes online resource helps you bring up tough subjects like death.
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