Spring into Action: Renew & Reset

Kate, 38, is married with two children. Although her husband and children are happy and healthy, Kate is devastated over the health of her mother. Kate’s mother, 68, has been battling cancer and it was starting to advance. When Kate would visit her mother, she would always reference a small black box in her bedroom closet that had all her important documents. These documents included her living will, health care proxy and durable power of attorney; all pertinent information Kate would need as her mother’s disease progressed. During her visits, Kate would get frustrated that her mother consistently bring up this topic. Knowing her mom’s future was short, Kate wanted to spend quality time enjoying conversations with her mom that didn’t consistently revolve around the black box in the closet.

One morning, Kate received the unfortunate call that her mother’s illness had worsened and that she required hospice care. Kate, along with her other family members, gathered at her mother’s home. Upset and confused, Kate’s family was unsure of what the next steps to take were. As if on auto pilot, Kate remembered the black box in the closet. In there she found her mother’s health care directive, living will, trust documents, and additional paperwork that would be needed. This made the transition process to hospice and ultimately her passing a little easier for Kate and her family to deal with, since her mother knowing everything for her mother was taken care and organized ahead of time.

The black box Kate’s mother had created ahead of time provided her family with the confidence throughout her illness and beyond, that they would not be burdened with uncertainty as to what to do, and that her wishes and legacy would be carried through as she had intended.

Kate, now thinking of her own family’s wellbeing, spoke with her Financial Professional, Peter, about her experience. Peter worked with Kate and her attorney, Tom, to create her own version of “The Black Box”. Today, Kate has confidence that if anything unexpected were to happen to her, her family would be well taken care of and will be able to follow her instructions on how she intends her medical and legacy wishes to be carried through.