End of Life

Facing the end of life isn’t a topic many of us want to address, but it can bring peace to a stressful
situation. Having you and your loved one’s affairs in order is important. It can provide stability for
your loved ones, and it can give you peace knowing that your final days will be handled in the way you choose.

End of Life

Facing the end of life isn’t a topic many of us want to address, but it can bring peace to a stressful situation. Having you and your loved one’s affairs in order is important. It can provide stability for your loved ones, and it can give you peace knowing that your final days will be handled in the way you choose.

Planning Ahead

It’s wise for everyone, cancer or not, to plan ahead when it comes to end of life. But facing colorectal cancer will certainly force you to consider how you want the end of life to go. Here are a few topics you need to discuss with your loved ones and legal plans to make:

Healthcare decisions

While you cannot control your health, you can control who you inform and set in place to help guide your last days of life. Here’s a few considerations:

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to transcribe your personal wishes and goals for medical treatment at end of life. You can also choose people who can make decisions for you if you are unable to make decisions so that your wishes can be carried out the way you want.

Advance directives are not just for people with cancer or people who are dying. Many people have them in place so that their personal decisions can be carried out in medical emergencies.

Medical power of attorney allows another individual to make decisions for someone who is not physically capable of doing so. This may also be known as durable power of attorney for health care, health care agent, or health care proxy. You can independently set this up, but the form must be notarized.

It is critical that you outline who you want to make your medical decisions for you should you be incapacitated. If you fail to do so, decision making will normally fall on a family member based on how closely they are related to you. Normally, decision making rights will proceed in this order: spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings. This can cause problems if you have a long-term partner but are not legally married, as medical decisions will revert to the closet blood relative.

Living wills hold information about how you want to be treated medically if you cannot speak for yourself. Living wills are also called directive to physicians, healthcare declaration, or medical directive. They tell families and health care staff what kind of life-sustaining care the person wishes to have such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, or dialysis.

DNR or Do-Not-Resuscitate orders must be written by a physician, although they can be written at the request of patient or family. A person with a valid DNR will not be given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if their heart or breathing stops. DNR orders can be written for hospital care or for patients who are being cared for at home. If you or your loved one has a DNR signed by a physician, be sure that it is put where the emergency medical personnel can see it or those caring for the patient at home can find it quickly and easily.

DNR orders that have not been signed by a physician and placed in your chart appropriately are likely to be missed or outright ignored. DNR wishes expressed in the form of jewelry (DNR “medical alert” bracelets, etc.), tattoos, or signed pieces of paper are not binding and will be ignored by emergency responders and hospital staff. Be sure your wishes have been filed correctly.

Estate decisions

Your medical wishes can be part of your estate planning, but there are also areas to consider outside of your medical treatments.

Power of attorney gives an individual the right to act on behalf of another person in financial or real estate issues. A lawyer needs to be involved to set a power of attorney in place for you.
This is what to set up with a lawyer and outline how you want your estate to be handled and divided up upon your passing. While a will can outline how you’d like your estate to be distributed after your death, your loved ones may need to go through a process called “probate,” which can be lengthy and expensive. Wills can be challenged by individuals in court, adding additional time and expense.
A trust is a legal vehicle that can provide directions on how to distribute your assets after you die. When you set up a trust, you will designate a trustee (this can be yourself) and successor trustees to manage the trust after your death. Trusts can be advantageous in that any assets held by the trust will be distributed as you wish and will avoid the lengthy and expensive probate process. It is important to still have a will to cover any property not held by the trust. You will need an attorney to establish a trust.

Assets, property, titles, deeds, and other real property can be held by a trust, greatly simplifying transfer of this property after death. Trusts cannot be contested in court in the same ways that a will can, speeding up the process of asset distribution.

Beneficiaries are individuals or entities that are designated to receive a gift or inheritance outlined in a will or trust. You can divide your assets individually for specific beneficiaries, or you can designate primary, secondary, and residuary beneficiaries to receive your entire estate.
Probate is a legal process that sorts out how someone’s assets should be handled or divided up upon their death. If there’s any uncertainty or contestation over a will or property, probate will be involved. Houses, cars, belongings, and bank accounts can all go into “probate” and become untouchable if beneficiaries are not clearly outlined and an estate plan is set before your passing.

Probate is known to be a lengthy, expensive, and time-consuming process. You can help your loved ones avoid probate but putting “transfer on death” (TOD) or “payable on death (POD) on your accounts and assets, which will immediately allow your beneficiary to gain access.

Planning Ahead

It’s wise for everyone, cancer or not, to plan ahead when it comes to end of life. But facing colorectal cancer will certainly force you to consider how you want the end of life to go. Here are a few topics you need to discuss with your loved ones and legal plans to make:

Healthcare decisions

While you cannot control your health, you can control who you inform and set in place to help guide your last days of life. Here’s a few considerations:

Advance directives are legal documents that allow you to transcribe your personal wishes and goals for medical treatment at end of life. You can also choose people who can make decisions for you if you are unable to make decisions so that your wishes can be carried out the way you want.

Advance directives are not just for people with cancer or people who are dying. Many people have them in place so that their personal decisions can be carried out in medical emergencies.

Medical power of attorney allows another individual to make decisions for someone who is not physically capable of doing so. This may also be known as durable power of attorney for health care, health care agent, or health care proxy. You can independently set this up, but the form must be notarized.

It is critical that you outline who you want to make your medical decisions for you should you be incapacitated. If you fail to do so, decision making will normally fall on a family member based on how closely they are related to you. Normally, decision making rights will proceed in this order: spouse, adult children, parents, adult siblings. This can cause problems if you have a long-term partner but are not legally married, as medical decisions will revert to the closet blood relative.

Living wills hold information about how you want to be treated medically if you cannot speak for yourself. Living wills are also called directive to physicians, healthcare declaration, or medical directive. They tell families and health care staff what kind of life-sustaining care the person wishes to have such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, or dialysis.

DNR or Do-Not-Resuscitate orders must be written by a physician, although they can be written at the request of patient or family. A person with a valid DNR will not be given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if their heart or breathing stops. DNR orders can be written for hospital care or for patients who are being cared for at home. If you or your loved one has a DNR signed by a physician, be sure that it is put where the emergency medical personnel can see it or those caring for the patient at home can find it quickly and easily.

DNR orders that have not been signed by a physician and placed in your chart appropriately are likely to be missed or outright ignored. DNR wishes expressed in the form of jewelry (DNR “medical alert” bracelets, etc.), tattoos, or signed pieces of paper are not binding and will be ignored by emergency responders and hospital staff. Be sure your wishes have been filed correctly.

Estate decisions

Your medical wishes can be part of your estate planning, but there are also areas to consider outside of your medical treatments.

Power of attorney gives an individual the right to act on behalf of another person in financial or real estate issues. A lawyer needs to be involved to set a power of attorney in place for you.
This is what to set up with a lawyer and outline how you want your estate to be handled and divided up upon your passing. While a will can outline how you’d like your estate to be distributed after your death, your loved ones may need to go through a process called “probate,” which can be lengthy and expensive. Wills can be challenged by individuals in court, adding additional time and expense.
A trust is a legal vehicle that can provide directions on how to distribute your assets after you die. When you set up a trust, you will designate a trustee (this can be yourself) and successor trustees to manage the trust after your death. Trusts can be advantageous in that any assets held by the trust will be distributed as you wish and will avoid the lengthy and expensive probate process. It is important to still have a will to cover any property not held by the trust. You will need an attorney to establish a trust.

Assets, property, titles, deeds, and other real property can be held by a trust, greatly simplifying transfer of this property after death. Trusts cannot be contested in court in the same ways that a will can, speeding up the process of asset distribution.

Beneficiaries are individuals or entities that are designated to receive a gift or inheritance outlined in a will or trust. You can divide your assets individually for specific beneficiaries, or you can designate primary, secondary, and residuary beneficiaries to receive your entire estate.
Probate is a legal process that sorts out how someone’s assets should be handled or divided up upon their death. If there’s any uncertainty or contestation over a will or property, probate will be involved. Houses, cars, belongings, and bank accounts can all go into “probate” and become untouchable if beneficiaries are not clearly outlined and an estate plan is set before your passing.

Probate is known to be a lengthy, expensive, and time-consuming process. You can help your loved ones avoid probate but putting “transfer on death” (TOD) or “payable on death (POD) on your accounts and assets, which will immediately allow your beneficiary to gain access.

Ask us anything, anytime. Seriously. Text us at 318-242-8272 (318-CHATCRC).

Ask us anything, anytime. Seriously. Text us at 318-242-8272 (318-CHATCRC).

Account Access

Not only are legal plans important, but so are big and little things–like phone passwords and bank account information. Sharing this with a trusted loved one or friend will help them handle your affairs and accounts should you become unable to do so, and it will make the process of transferring your assets smoother.

Make sure you have at least one other person who can access this information, and show them where your documents live:

  • All bank accounts (savings, checking, HSAs)
  • Retirement accounts (401k, IRA)
  • Education savings accounts
  • Stock/investments
  • Any crypto or bitcoin exchanges
  • Online accounts like Paypal, Venmo or Cash app that may have a balance of funds
  • Mortgage and deed information on all properties
  • Titles to all cars, boats, and RVs
  • Insurance accounts (don’t let insurance coverage lapse on property while you handle the estate)
  • Account numbers, usernames, and passwords for utility companies
  • Phone service (and the passcode to your phone)
    • It is absolutely essential to share your phone password with any loved ones who may need access. Your phone contains passwords, email logins, and a wealth of other information your loved ones will need to handle your affairs – think about how much of your life is tied to your phone. Also, don’t be in a rush to terminate cell phone service after a loved one passes, as many logins may use that phone number to send verification texts or other two-factor authentication checks.
  • Streaming services (Netflix, phone apps, etc.)
  • Cable/internet providers (they will want their equipment back)
  • Gym and fitness memberships
  • Airline and hotel accounts (some may allow you to transfer points or miles)
  • Store memberships, such as Costco or Sam’s Club
  • Home security monitoring
  • Property management arrangements, such as lawn mowers or landscapers
    • It may be advantageous to keep property maintenance arrangements intact until other plans have been made in order to avoid potential fines from the city or HOA due to long grass or other problems.
If a loved one passes and has any outstanding debt, such as credit card bills or a mortgage, it is important to notify these creditors of the death. Mortgage forbearance can avoid foreclosure while you make arrangements for the house, and timely notification of creditors can help avoid late fees and penalties being assessed on the accounts.

Under no circumstances should you personally pay any debt owed by the deceased.

Any debt owed is owed solely by the deceased’s estate, not any of their family members (unless they co-signed a line of credit). Paying any debts personally can make you responsible for the debt and can be a costly mistake. Creditors will be paid out from the available assets of the estate, not you personally.

Account Access

Not only are legal plans important, but so are big and little things–like phone passwords and bank account information. Sharing this with a trusted loved one or friend will help them handle your affairs and accounts should you become unable to do so, and it will make the process of transferring your assets smoother.

Make sure you have at least one other person who can access this information, and show them where your documents live:

  • All bank accounts (savings, checking, HSAs)
  • Retirement accounts (401k, IRA)
  • Education savings accounts
  • Stock/investments
  • Any crypto or bitcoin exchanges
  • Online accounts like Paypal, Venmo or Cash app that may have a balance of funds
  • Mortgage and deed information on all properties
  • Titles to all cars, boats, and RVs
  • Insurance accounts (don’t let insurance coverage lapse on property while you handle the estate)
  • Account numbers, usernames, and passwords for utility companies
  • Phone service (and the passcode to your phone)
    • It is absolutely essential to share your phone password with any loved ones who may need access. Your phone contains passwords, email logins, and a wealth of other information your loved ones will need to handle your affairs – think about how much of your life is tied to your phone. Also, don’t be in a rush to terminate cell phone service after a loved one passes, as many logins may use that phone number to send verification texts or other two-factor authentication checks.
  • Streaming services (Netflix, phone apps, etc.)
  • Cable/internet providers (they will want their equipment back)
  • Gym and fitness memberships
  • Airline and hotel accounts (some may allow you to transfer points or miles)
  • Store memberships, such as Costco or Sam’s Club
  • Home security monitoring
  • Property management arrangements, such as lawn mowers or landscapers
    • It may be advantageous to keep property maintenance arrangements intact until other plans have been made in order to avoid potential fines from the city or HOA due to long grass or other problems.
If a loved one passes and has any outstanding debt, such as credit card bills or a mortgage, it is important to notify these creditors of the death. Mortgage forbearance can avoid foreclosure while you make arrangements for the house, and timely notification of creditors can help avoid late fees and penalties being assessed on the accounts.

Under no circumstances should you personally pay any debt owed by the deceased.

Any debt owed is owed solely by the deceased’s estate, not any of their family members (unless they co-signed a line of credit). Paying any debts personally can make you responsible for the debt and can be a costly mistake. Creditors will be paid out from the available assets of the estate, not you personally.

Legacy contacts vs. Beneficiaries

Platforms like Facebook and Apple phones have created what’s called a “Legacy contact” so someone you trust can access your account upon your passing. This is helpful if you want to make sure your online account is properly handled after you pass away.

However: Remember that a legacy contact is not the same as a legal beneficiary. Beneficiaries receive your assets—like your money or your home—after your passing and must be designated through official channels, like official paperwork.

Legacy contacts vs. Beneficiaries

Platforms like Facebook and Apple phones have created what’s called a “Legacy contact” so someone you trust can access your account upon your passing. This is helpful if you want to make sure your online account is properly handled after you pass away.

However: Remember that a legacy contact is not the same as a legal beneficiary. Beneficiaries receive your assets—like your money or your home—after your passing and must be designated through official channels, like official paperwork.

Hospice Care

If a doctor believes that you will likely pass away within the next six months, you may be referred to hospice care. Hospice ensures that you have comforts in place for your physical, mental, and spiritual health. It can take place at home or a hospice center.

Hospice Care

If a doctor believes that you will likely pass away within the next six months, you may be referred to hospice care. Hospice ensures that you have comforts in place for your physical, mental, and spiritual health. It can take place at home or a hospice center.