I don't think there will be many of us that weren't affected by the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It is at moments like this that we all remember loved ones that we have lost. That dash to a bedside at a hospital to say a final goodbye, or that hollow knock on the door to tell you that someone had been taken too soon.
What comes after these moments can often have a profound effect on how we grieve, shaping the rest of our lives.
The death of the Queen has been one of the most planned-for events in our history, but amid the sorrow of her passing is the reassurance of the certainty of what will follow and this is worth bearing in mind as we think about mortality and our own "what comes next".
Death is not a subject anyone wants to confront, but planning and preparation for it is the one last selfless and loving gesture that you can give your family.
When reviewing client wills it is always a surprise just how detailed some people are in their wishes, compared to the lack in clarity of others. It is this lack of clarity that can leave relatives and loved ones trying to interpret the unwritten intentions, wishing they could ask questions.
There are also those families who are torn apart by surprises in the last wishes of a loved one - where the wrangling over money suddenly blows up into irreparable disputes. You're left living with regret and anger.
Winding up an estate can be a slow, drawn out process, particularly if you have to go through probate and sell a property. Every last detail you can share can help to make life easier for those left behind. We spend our entire working lives trying to make good decisions so that we can support our children through the emotional and financial burden of starting out in life, then supporting ourselves through retirement. Yet for many that is where the planning stops, without thinking about how we can continue providing all this support even after we're gone. Just one short conversation about it with your loved ones can solve everything.
Thinking about that transition can also help with any future burden of managing your affairs - setting up powers of attorney will make life a little easier and provide peace of mind for your family.
So write a will and keep it updated. No one likes thinking about their own demise, but the reassurance of certainty is the last loving gesture you can make.
#bemoreroyal
