Where there's a Will, there's always a Way! - LOH Contest #223

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lizelle20.6 K2 days agoPeakD4 min read

It's inevitable. The day will come when you say your last goodbyes. When you do, you would want to know your wishes will be fulfilled.
We all want our loved ones to be taken care of and not have to deal with legalities while grieving.

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Yes, we never know just when the clock of life will stop; it could happen at any time, and I don't think age prescribes when!

We don't like thinking about death, so postpone things like a Will. When someone we know dies unexpectedly we realize that it's time we got our ducks in a row, but we still procrastinate!

Death is the one sure thing in life, so why not prepare?

I will briefly tell you of my experience - after losing my darling man, still in shock and deep sorrow, I learned that the company who drew up our will no longer existed.
Hubby was worried about it that last week, but I was in denial.

Even though I had the original will, the company that now held it had to be found. An empathetic attorney was recommended, and she eventually found out who the new estate administrators were.

When there are only assets in the estate, large companies insist on the heirs paying all estate costs before they start the process; alternatively, they start selling off assets!

I received a Pro-forma Cash Reconciliation Statement for just under ZAR150K! Yes, I am shocked again while tapping the keyboards!

I was given payment options:

pay it off over six months...umm...ZAR25K per month - way beyond my means!
sell the car...it's an older model, not enough!
sell the house
And the last shocking option was:
they will auction the house!
Do you think their appointed executor would ensure the house fetched the best price?
Me-thinks not!

I had to fight, and then pay up, to get them to renounce the will before I could pass it onto a small firm of estate administrators - the same lady who helped trace our will.

Still grieving, and having to deal with this was harrowing! Something hubby was agitated about that last week, but he was in the hospital, and I did not want to face reality!

After this harrowing experience, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of drawing up or updating a will. And, get a trusted attorney to administer the estate

My new will is now with this firm.

Something else to consider is a Will of a different kind - a Living Will.

If it's your wish not to be kept alive by artificial means when there's no hope of survival or quality of life, you need to have this document. You can get a template online, need two witnesses, and ensure your family knows about it. You can also ask your attorney to draw it up and safe-keep it.
If you do not have a living will, your family may be faced with having to sign a document giving the doctor permission to turn off life support if you ever end up like that. Two of my friends had to do that, it was awful!

For this week's Ladies of Hive Community Contest #223 @joanstewart poses the question:

Have you written up a Will and filed it, protecting your spouse and children? Take control of your estate, assets, or worldly possessions — make sure you leave behind to those you wish it to go to!

My advice is to scan and keep hard copies of these documents in a safe place at home, even if your attorney has the originals. important to let your family know where it is.

I know my hubs would never have wanted this to happen, but I was foolish not to listen to him that last week, and denied him the peace of mind to know his wishes would be heard when he no longer had a voice!