Without sounding too depressing we don’t know what’s around the corner. You could be fit and healthy one minute and gone the next.
You don’t have to dwell on this thought but it is worth considering what would happen to your family if you are gone.
Missing the opportunity to get everything in order
A close friend of mine lost her father two years ago. He was only in his fifties, fit and healthy.
He went away a lot on business and sadly died suddenly during a business meeting abroad.
It was a very difficult time for my friend as she had to work out the logistics of getting her father back from a foreign country as well as trying to understand what had happened.
What made the pain worst was the fact her father had not left behind wishes or information on his state of affairs. She didn’t know how he was feeling at the time, how he felt about her and had lost his support and guidance.
To this day my friend doesn’t know how much her father was worth, what bank accounts he had, what his pensions were worth of where to find this information.
Her father had simply missed the chance to get everything in order.
How to leave everything in order
I have written previously about a ‘death box’. A place where you keep all the important details of your life both personal and financial. Including things like what bank accounts you have, where your pensions and investments are held. Also trusted contacts like Accountants, Solicitors, Financial Advisers, plumbers and electricians.
Getting everything in order so you can make things a little bit more comfortable for those that you leave behind.
I’m delighted to announce that we have partnered with ‘Once I’ve Gone’, a company that allows you to record all the necessary information to ensure you leave everything in order.
Through their website you can organise and store scanned copies of things like your Will and other important documents. You can list all the accounts you own and there’s a place where you can note your final wishes. Everything is secure, backed-up and you control the data.
What I particularly like is that there is a place where you can record messages that can be left for your loved ones to view once you have gone. What an amazing way to make contact with your children at different stages of their life after you have gone.
The account you have with Once I’ve Gone is an ongoing live portal which you can visit and update as much as you want. There is a ‘bucket list’ section where you can list all the things you want to do in life and then tick them off as you go.
You can add trusted contacts so that they have access to the account when you’ve gone and can carry out all your instructions.
Once I’ve Gone is a super charged modern day Will and what all Wills should look like! Check out this video to find out more.
I have spent time getting to know their founder Ian. He and his team have all lost people that didn’t get everything in order so they are very passionate about what they do.
I’m also very grateful to them for offering all RTS Financial Planning clients a discount on the cost for using Once I’ve Gone.
If you would like help getting your affairs in order, whether that’s a review of your current Will, a new one, Inheritance Tax planning and/or access to a discounted Once I’ve Gone account then please secure a free 15-minute call. You can speak to a Chartered Financial Planner who will listen to your situation, give you an outline of what you need to consider and guide you in the right direction.
Stock market linked investments and any income from them, can fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. Any figures quoted are for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as a forecast or guarantee. Past performance should not be seen as an indication of future returns and clients may get back less than they have invested.
