“I want to be buried in my blue suit with pictures of my family and I want Garth Brooks playing during the funeral.” Maybe you haven’t had this exact conversation with your family, but chances are you’ve had some sort of discussion about what you want to happen after you die. Whether it was as specific as this example, or just the discussion of burial versus cremation (versus medical research), most people have some idea of how they want to be laid to rest. But, if your wishes aren’t known or aren’t specific, they may fall be the wayside.
Here are 4 ways to make sure your wishes are followed after you’re gone:
Tell Your Family
The first step is to make sure your family is well aware of your wishes. If it’s generally known that you want to be cremated and not buried, it’s much more likely that someone in your family (if not the executor) will make sure that the cremation happens as opposed to moving forward with a burial you never intended.
Tell Your Executor
If the executor of your will is someone other than your family, make sure you discuss with them how you’d like your final disposition to occur. The executor is going to be making the bulk of the decisions for you and your estate after you’re no longer here, so having them on board and in-the-know is important.
Include it in Your Estate Plan
It’s not uncommon for people to include a disposition plan in their will or as an attachment to their estate plan. This can be as easy as typing up a Word document listing all of your wishes for your funeral, cremation, or other disposition. This document would be attached to or included with your will.
Pre-Purchase the Required Services
Paying for your funeral or cremation expenses while you’re still alive is a good way to make sure your funeral or cremation happens. Generally, when you pre-purchase your funeral or cremation, you’re given documentation to include with your estate planning documents. When you pass, your executor will gather your estate planning documents and see that this decision has already been made.
Of course, it’s possible that you have no opinion as to what should happen to you after you die, and that’s okay. But, if you have specific wishes you need to take action now to make sure they are followed.
Cheers,
Paul Yokabitus
Author Bio
Paul Yokabitus
Founder & Estate Planning Lawyer
Paul Yokabitus is the founder of Cary Estate Planning, where he helps North Carolina families protect what matters most through wills, trusts, probate, and special needs planning. Known for his “planning, not paperwork” approach, Paul turns complex legal concepts into clear, practical strategies so clients feel informed and confident at every step. He has been recognized as a Business North Carolina Legal Elite attorney and a Super Lawyers Rising Star, and was named to the Triangle Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. A graduate of Campbell University School of Law, Paul lives in the Triangle with his wife, Alix, and their two sons.
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Paul and his team at Cary Estate Planning are fully committed to creating a personalized experience to develop thorough and comprehensive estate plans. They value their clients and go above and beyond to make sure that no details are missed. I would highly recommend Paul to anyone looking to create an estate plan.
I was referred to Paul by my Real Estate Attorney and I could not say enough about how exceptional the client service has been from everyone I spoke to. The communication is prompt and I feel like they really took the time to answer all my questions and set things up exactly as I wanted, but also recommended things to make it easier on my family down the line.
After attending one of Paul’s estate planning seminars, my husband and I knew we wanted Paul to assist us with our estate planning. His honest, professional approach to this necessary part of life put us at ease with the process. We will continue to recommend Paul and Cary Estate Planning.
We had a great experience working with Paul Yokabitus and the team at Cary Estate Planning to set up our Will and Estate Plan. The process was clear and easy, and in the age of COVID, our signing session was very well done, easy, and safe.
The Cary Estate Planning team will make sure that you have the information you need to be confident in your estate planning decisions. I learned so much from videos, a one-on-one in-person consultation, the website, emails, and a newsletter mailed the old fashioned way. The fee is very reasonable given the importance of estate planning. No matter the size or number of your assets, don’t procrastinate like I did!
Paul is a masterful attorney. He’s very good at taking your intentions and defining that into a durable Trust and Will. Best of all he is as simple and plain-spoken as you like. Or as fast as intellectual as you may be. It’s all about your your speed and your desired outcomes. Would strongly recommend this firm.
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