Can,Happen,You,Can,Happen,You, family It Can Happen to You
Raising a family can be challenging and stressful at times. However, the common goals and emotional, financial, and physical investments made can be a common bond between husband and wife. One that compliments their marriage relationship.Of A lot of women avoid wearing nice clothes when they getpregnant because they believe that they look fat or ugly. You know that theresnothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman glowing and smiling, so youshouldnt hide your body during p
"It Can Happen to You"by: Joyce Moseley PierceYou see it every day on the news. You get up and turn thetv on in the morning and learn that while you were sleeping, others were involved in accidents that caused their death. As one friend put it, "You watch the news and think that somehow yourfamily is protected from these tragedies. After all, these people don't live in your neighborhood. They come from a different social class. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time." It wasn't until his 21 year-old sister was killed in a skiing accident that he realized that all ofhis justifications were wrong. Your family most certainlycan be affected.Donna had asked her husband to write some things down for her before his flight to the Middle East several years ago. He scratched some things out on the back of an envelope and told her she was being silly. He returned from that trip, but a few short months later was killed by a drunk driver. At least Donna had something to start with, but she wasn'tprepared for all of the questions the funeral home fired at her. She knew what bank accounts they had, and had helpedwith paying the bills over the years, but what about funeral arrangements? Did he want to be buried in Louisiana with his parents, or here in Texas where she and her family lived? cremation or burial? What about the obituary for thenewspaper? Did she have all of the accurate informationthey needed to write it? Her emotions were raw as she tried to deal with the realityof it all. Was this all just a bad dream that would soonend? She just wanted to go home and grieve, but there weretoo many things to think about.* How long will it take to settle the estate?* Will I have enough cash to live on until then?* Will the insurance come before they foreclose on the house?* Where is the real copy of the will?* How can I prove stock ownership?* Do I know about all bank accounts and insurance policies?* How do I collect social security?* Whose advice can I trust?If you dont know the answers to these questions, now is agood time for you to start thinking about them. What are some things you can do to be better prepared for these situations? 1. Talk to your spouse (and dont forget your parents) and explain the importance of working together to put this information together now. Accidents arent something we schedule!2. Gather important papers. Include birth certificates, pre-paid funeral arrangements, military records, current bank and credit card statements, wills, safe deposit information (bank, box number, authorized signers, contents), employment information - insurance, savings plans, retirement accounts, etc., savings account statements, stock certificates, loan agreements,automobile titles, health and life insurance. 3. Discuss the disposition of personal items. This will help avoid family feuds when it comes time to decide who shouldget grandfather's watch or mother's pearls.4. Make copies of these documents and file the originals in a safe place. A fireproof safe at home is recommended so you'll have access to them on the weekend. You might even consider scanning them and saving them to a CD.5. Keep the information up to date. Decide to go throughthese records at least annually to make sure the informationhasn't changed. Take this opportunity to discard outdatedinformation. 6. Make sure someone in your family, and a trusted familyfriend, knows where this information is stored so it can be retrieved at a moment's notice. The fireproof box is a goodplace to keep it along with your original documents, but be sure to put it back each time you update the information.You are doing your family a disservice if you don't prepare this information for them while you're able. It doesnt make sense to provide for them throughout your life, only to leave them struggling when they need your guidance more than ever.
Can,Happen,You,Can,Happen,You,