A tale only you could tell
...& your loved ones want to know.
Putting together The Last Gift Box
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Let them cherish you forever with The Last Gift Box.
The Last Gift Box Guide For the Unexpected Life Events.
The Last Gift Box is a guide to decide how you wish to live and die,
how to organize your papers, make medical decisions and who gets your treasures.
Plan now!
This is also a collection of all the information you will need in the event of a disaster -
a fire, an earthquake, a flood, a tornato or a volanco eruption.
This is not a coffee table book. It is to be used up, marked up.
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The book is spiral bound, lays flat and the back of each page is blank for note taking.
Check off lists are included in each chapter
AND
a set of fill-in the blank forms that compliment the information each chapter requires.
Easy to fill in, copy, scan, save to a flash drive.
You can share your necessary information with those involved in your decisions.
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Getting Started - The Business of Dying Chapters 1 - 10
This is a working document. Here is your plan to begin organizing the best present you can give.
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Chapter 1- Wills and Revocable Trusts
What is a Will? What is a Trust?
Why do I need them?
Do I need a lawyer?
Chapter 2- Safety Deposit Box
Where is my safety deposit Box? Who has the Key?
Who can get into the box? What's in the box
Oh, dear, is there more?
Chapter 3- Passwords
How many do you have?
Is there a list?
Who knows what they are?
How will anyone help you or access your accounts without one?
Let's talk about how to organize them all.
Chapter 4- Insurance Papers
Where are those insurance papers for-
the house
the car
the life
the burial plot
and what is to be done with the proceeds?
Chapter 5- Account Numbers
Think of all the accounts you have, the payments they require.
Who is listed on the accounts? The passwords?
Think of your loans and loans you have made.
How should they be reconed with?
This is a sampling of the many issues that need to be addressed concerning our accounts.
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Chapter 6- Credit Cards
Some things to consider with credit cards.
How many credit cards do you have?
Where are they?
How are these accounts to be cancelled?
Another item that requires a listing of specific information.
Chapter 7- Stocks and Bonds
It is helpful to list your stocks and bonds,
your broker, where your certificates or accounts are located.
Your family or executor and Trustee will have to dig through
your papers to find this information.
If they are listed with complete information, your family will
thank you.
Chapter8- Ownership Papers
Here you list all the property, autos, boats, you own.
You list the specific information for each item from the license number to the maintenance history.
List the loan information, the payment schedule, where the pink slips are.
You get all the necessary information in one place.
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Chapter 9- Guardianship of Children and Pets
There are specific topics to consider for guardianship of children and of pets.
These decisions take thought and discussion.
The Last Gift Box guides you in what to consider and how to discuss this with
the selected guardians.
Chapter 10- Tax Information
Because we die we are not excuised
from paying taxes the year of our death.
Who is to do that?
Where are your last year's taxes?
Do you have an accountant we should know about?
It is not hard to gather the information, but YOU
are the one to do it since you know where it is.
Communication and Celebration
Chapters 11-18 cover all the aspects of our dying, death and send off.
It's "The rest of the story"!
Chapter 11- Death Wishes for My Journey
This chapter covers some of the most imortant decisions you will make.
Your Durable Power of Attorney for Health Decisions
Your Physicians Orders for LIfe-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
Who is your designated agent to follow out your decisions?
And what actions do you want to have done to keep you alive?
or do you wish to die the old fashioned way with no medical interventions?
You must write your wishes down and be sure to share them.
Chapter 12- Burial or Cremation
Listed are specific decisions you need to make for your body when you die.
You also have decisions to make about how to pay for your burial or cremation.
And again, a discussion with your family and friends who are to be involved is so valuable.
Remember, you are in charge.
Chapter 13- Who to Contact When I Die
Does your family know who your friends are? The ones you see at your work, your volunteer job, your quilting class, your yoga group? This chapter helps you create the list of people to be notified when you die and how to do that.
Chapter 14- My Send Off Memorial, Funeral….or not!
The decisions we must make concerning our funeral or memorial are long and involved. And if we wish nothing we best have that in writing. This chapter is a list and discussion of all the aspects of your send off.
Your family will be blessed to have you decide how you wish to be celebrated.
This is another of The Best Presents You Can Give!
Chapter 15- The Obituary
Obituaries are a way to define who lived and died.
Make yours the REAL story of who your are and what you would like to be remembered for.
Write it yourself!
Follow the guide to tell your story.
Chapter 16- The Stuff
Oh my, Oh my, Oh my.
It is the stuff that breaks families apart - if you let it.
You decide who gets what and why. You might consider asking your family and friends if there are items you own that are special to them. Be clear on the value of items. Discuss your decisions with the family.
There is a form included in the book that guides you as you decide who gets what.
Decide what the family can do with items no one wants.
There are check lists to guide you.
Chapter 17- How do I tell you what really matters?
To be sure people do know how you feel, sit down and write a letter to those individuals important to you telling them what you hold in your heart.
Chapter 17 guides you in this loving task.
Chapter 18 Conclusion
Our planning is the best gift.
We want to know the date of our exit.
Not possible.
We want to help our children, family, friends hve less pain and sorrow when we die.
Our planning is the best gift.
And you don't have to wrap it!
Resources
I have created a list or written materials I find helpful.
There are some terrific books, which are listed.
There are some terrible books, which are not.
Remember, death is BIG BUSINESS.
When you can buy a casket at Costco you know it is big money!
Get motivated. Join our mission and community. Support each other as we all work to finish our
LAST GIFT BOX
FORMS A separate spiral book with all the forms
There are forms that compliment the information required to complete each chapter.
The forms can be copied, scanned, faxed and/or saved to a flash drive.
You fill them in and your work is complete!
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A book of forms is available separately for those who have the original edition of The Last Gift Box.