The conversation
My mother is 82 and still sharp. I want to get things in order without upsetting her.
What she handed back
In the order that matters
Have one small conversation firstYou and her, no one elseAsk who she would want deciding for her, not what she wants done with her body. It is a far easier door.Read the guide →
Sign a healthcare power of attorney and a living willHer, with witnessesIllinois publishes both as statutory short forms. Give a copy to her doctor, not just to yourself.Read the guide →
Read the old will before rewriting itCheck the executor is still alive and willing, and that the beneficiary designations on her accounts still agree with it.Read the guide →
Decide burial or cremation, and write it down somewhere findableThis is the decision that costs the most when nobody knows the answer.Read the guide →
Be careful with prepaid funeral plansAsk what happens if the funeral home closes or she moves states, and whether the money is in a trust or an insurance policy.Read the guide →
What to have in front of you
- The existing will — the original, not a scan
- Deeds, titles, and any account with a named beneficiary
- Her doctor's name, so the directive reaches the right chart
- The name and number of whoever she wants as her agent
