Are You Ready for the Hereafter?
Nope, this isn't a theological question. Instead, I wanted to bring up something that I think is manly: Having your affairs in order. (No, not those affairs, get your minds out of the gutter.) What I am specifically referring to is having a will prepared.
People told me that I should wait, I'm too young and so forth. Well, accidents happen. Most of us do not have the luxury of knowing the day of our demise, so I have mine right here in my briefcase, just have to get it witnessed and notarized.
When you ring down the curtain and join the choir invisible, you leave behind people that are trying to figure things out. "Did he have specific gifts? Is there an executor named? Does he really want 'Sharp Dressed Man' played at his funeral?" While you're comfortably pushing up the daisies, grieving friends and family are going to be struggling with your details for a long time.
If you don't have a will, the courts will probably decide for you.
So, cowboy up and get a will done for the sake of those left behind.
Brett, where does this soapbox go now that I'm done with it?
People told me that I should wait, I'm too young and so forth. Well, accidents happen. Most of us do not have the luxury of knowing the day of our demise, so I have mine right here in my briefcase, just have to get it witnessed and notarized.
When you ring down the curtain and join the choir invisible, you leave behind people that are trying to figure things out. "Did he have specific gifts? Is there an executor named? Does he really want 'Sharp Dressed Man' played at his funeral?" While you're comfortably pushing up the daisies, grieving friends and family are going to be struggling with your details for a long time.
If you don't have a will, the courts will probably decide for you.
So, cowboy up and get a will done for the sake of those left behind.
Brett, where does this soapbox go now that I'm done with it?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Russel Geist on -
Joshua, as you probably already know, advance medical directives including a living will are something every adult should have. I commend your parents for taking you to their lawyer to get this done.
Life insurance is a broad term that can encompass many different products that operate similarly: to provide a payment when the insured dies within the terms of the contract. You can direct to whom the death benefit goes and in what percentages. The beneficiary doesn’t have to be your spouse, nor related to you in any way. You can designate your parents, your girlfriend, a charity, or a helpful AoM commenter to receive the benefit(that's "Geist," spelled "G-E-I-S-T"; just kidding!) .
Most people purchase insurance for one of a couple of reasons. First, it is a way to replace your income-generating ability after your death if there is someone counting on you being there to support them. This is probably the biggest reason people buy life insurance. I have a life insurance policy, because I am the breadwinner in the family. Corporate executives often have "key man" insurance because they have institutional knowledge that has value and is lost when they die. Second, it is a cheap way to generate liquid wealth at your death to pay taxes (ask your lawyer, but probably not an issue for you), or other expenses like burial and funeral costs.
Whether an insurance policy is right for you is a decision you should make with a trusted financial advisor, preferably one who would not benefit from selling you a policy.
-
Permalink Reply by Yankee Cowboy Bob on -
Don't leave it to cowboys, they just spend it on booze and women anyway. Well, I do.
-
Permalink Reply by DJ on -
I have to say that I 100% agree. This is a topic I may touch on later, but for now I'll make a few statements here.
My dad just passed away. Had the funeral today actually. He did not have a will, not that we know of but we haven't had a chance to find his briefcase either. Anyway, he did take care of us by have two good insurance policies. If he hadn't my family would be totally overwhelmed right now.
As it is I'm hoping he does have a will in that briefcase, but if he doesn't, it may prove difficult when we begin sorting through his belongings. Coming from my current viewpoint, I beleive that no matter a man's age, after 21, or even 18, you should have a will, or something. You never know when your final appointment will be. My dad didn't, we didn't, and in some cases it feels like we're left just grasping.
The manliest thing a man can do is take care of his family, especially after he's gone.
-
Permalink Reply by Yankee Cowboy Bob on
-
My will is completed, scanned into .pdf files and stored, plus the paper copy is in a newly-purchased fireproof file that ran about $40.
My condolences on your loss. My oldest brother died just before Christmas, and my father followed in February. The will thing did not matter any more because he did not know me, or himself, for the last few years of his life. Anyway, I dealt with the grieving and the confused, strained relationship by writing it out in Weblogs.
The main AoM site has an article on loss here: http://xrl.in/3acp . In fact, my comment below it has a link that I felt like sharing.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
Subscribe to the Art of Manliness Blog
AoM T-shirts
© 2010 Created by Brett McKay
