Health Care Directives, Funerals and Personal Matters

So far, you've probably already learned how to care for your loved ones after your death. Now it's time to think, for a moment, about caring for yourself as your life draws to its close.

What you'll find in this section:

• Advance Directives: Preparing Yourself For Incapacitation By using advance directives such as a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care, you can ensure that your desires about what medical care you want to receive or avoid are followed.
  
• Last Minute Tips For Reducing Your Estate: As you face the end of your life, you may need to make some last-minute decisions about your estate.
  
• Putting Ethics Into Your Will: You've used a "last will and testament" to pass on your assets, but how do you leave your loved ones your ethics? Your moral code?
  
• Planning Your Funeral: You can take an active hand in planning your send-off now, while you are still hale and hearty.
  
• Writing Your Obituary: It might sound morbid, but because no one knows your life as intimately as you do, you might want to take an hour or so to write your own obituary.