Fiscal fitness -- one last note in re: April

It's May 1, but I figure it still falls under the April theme: today's "Fiscally Fit" column in the WSJ, "Hidden Complications of a Living Will," talks about the steps one should take in making one's wishes known in the event of a medical emergency:

• A living will. A document that details the types of life-sustaining medical procedures and treatments [you] wanted, or didn't want ...

• A health-care proxy. A document that authorizes one or more individuals to make decisions about [your] care in the event [you're] nearing death.

A third document, a health-care power of attorney, authorizes a person to speak to medical professionals and make medical decisions for [you], obtain and provide any data relating to [your] medical history, and consent to a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order.

So, did all y'all figure out how to handle your end-of-life business this month? Did you make sure your 401(k) or 403(b) will go to the right person (and not your ex)? Did you maybe chat with your folks about what they want?

Comments

[molly]

We are working on these issues still. My husband is self employed so we've been taking care of life insurance and disability insurance. After meeting with the life insurance guy, we discovered that we have to get a good lawyer to do wills and establish a trust. Complicated and slightly depressing!

As for my folks, they will be going into an assisted living facility in the next couple of years. They have wills and all that jazz done. I am pretty sure however that they are not telling me the whole truth about their money and will stick me with the bills.

Oh by the way, after speaking to a couple of doctor friends... DNR orders aren't usually followed. If you are on life support and want to "pull the plug" that's one thing, but if you have a DNR order or the DNR tattoo those usually aren't enough.

[Stephanie]

Aaarrrgghh. Not yet. It's still on the list of things to do. I have no idea how entire months pass by in so little time.