August 2020
Information on Tax and Estate Planning from the Masonic Charities of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Due to the COVID-19 crisis, all travel and events are suspended until further notice. As I write this latest edition of “The Blitz,” I am happy to report that I have returned to my office in Elizabethtown where I enjoy seeing the smiling faces of the staff I have missed for the past three months. I am forever grateful to the many caregivers and other staff that have helped to take care of our residents at our campuses throughout Pennsylvania since this pandemic started. I have heard numerous times from the residents how much they appreciate the incredible job staff is doing to feed, protect and care for them. To my readers throughout the country, please join me in giving a big “shout out” of support for these pandemic protectors. I would welcome any letters, emails or cards of support for our Masonic Villages staff. I wanted to share with you some frustrating estate administration experiences I had recently, in hopes you will learn from them and not to make the same mistakes. Let’s get started.
Executor Nightmares:
Lack of End-Of-Life Instructions And Lost Wills One of the most common challenges I encounter when handling an estate is how to respect the burial and memorial wishes of the deceased. In European culture, they prepare for their day of reckoning, while Americans consider preparations optional because they don’t want to think about their death. I have yet to see someone avoid their eventual demise, but it does impact how we think about preparing for the inevitable. As uncomfortable as it may be, please take the time to prepare a funeral instruction checklist to leave with someone you trust, or provide them with instructions on where to find the list.
Better yet, consider a prepaid funeral. When the decedent has prepared everything in advance, it eases my mind immensely – and I’m sure the family is thankful, as well. If there is to be a memorial service, let the executor know, so proper arrangements can be made. The more advance work you do now, the less stress you leave on grieving loved ones and the executor of the estate. Some key factors to consider when planning for the inevitable are: 1. Write your own obituary. (I mean it. I had to do some really sparse obits for decedents who didn’t leave instructions. People really do want to know what you did with your life.) 2. Choose a funeral home and whether you want cremation or a casket. 3. Choose a burial spot. 4. Decide whether you want a memorial service, and if so, plan for it. Continued inside