The End Is Comming

[Gregory Matthews]

No,, while I believe in a  2nd Advent, I am not talking about that.  Rather, I am addressing what it says in Ecclesiastes 3:2 that for all of us there is  ". . .a time to be born and a time to die,. . ."  Whether we like it or not, every one of us can expect to die at some moment in time.  For the past several days, my wife and I have been addressing this issue.  We decided that as normal expectations would leave us to believe that my wife would live on beyond  my death.

So we have generated a set of documents, and taken other actions:

*  We set a process in place with our banking institution whereby  she can immediately access accounts and start a process rolling, with a single telephone call  that will make some needed changes.

*  We developed a document that specifies the sources of income, to include amounts, that will come to her upon my death.

*  We developed a document that lists mandatory expenses that she will have to live with.

*  We developed a document that relates her income to her expenses and gives her a budget upon which she can live.

NOTE:  We already had a will and some other informational documents that I have not listed above.

This is not occuring becaue we belive that my death is near.  I consider myself to be in good health.

*  With 20 years in the Army, I kept physically active.

*  At about 40,  I decided to run a 5 K, one day and did so, and without training for it.  I was ready for such.

*  AT 73, I ran a 10K, in the mountains of Colorado, but that was after a year of training for it.

*  With the exception of some issues with my visiion, ARMD, I am in good health, considering my age.

However, a few minor things have come up as to my health.    Nothing of any major consequence.  But, it is clear that my internal body is showing the signs of my age.  So, we are giving continued study as to whether any of these should be addressed and if so, in what manner.

I participate in a health care system that given me full access my health records.  I can read my health file three days after  something is entered into the records.  I can print those records off if I chose.  After working for 20 years in a teaching hospital, I consider myself to be an informed patient, who understands, with advice from physician experts, as to the state of  my health.

I see the handwriting on the wall.  My age is showing.  My body is  wearing down.  The day, not in the immediate future, will come when my life on Earth will end.  My wife and I agree that the time for us to prepare for that day, and he continued life, is now, while we have time.

I invite all of you reading this note, to also give consideration to whatever preparation you may need to make for a time when either you or a loved one will have reached the end of their life.

 

 

 

[8thdaypriest]

Yes Gregory.  It is good to prepare for things.  I have a friend who's husband was retired military.  When he died, she went through a lot of chaos and frustration trying to straighten things out just to get a living monthly income. 

Have joint accounts - assuming you trust your spouse. 

Update your wills.  My hubby and i need to do that - again.  Kids have grown and finished school, so no need for college money.  Ministries have changed.  Etc.  Etc. 

[Gregory Matthews]

We have always had joint bank accounts.   But, that is not enough.

[JoeMo]

I have a bulletproof trust I updated a year ago.  But I have yet to prepare the documentation of our assets my wife would need if I died.  She has asked me to do this several times, but I have yet to do it.  I'm such a procrastinator when it comes to stuff like this.  I'm such a sinner!