Articles Of Interest

April 30, 2020

Sorting Through Your Loved One’s Belongings

Losing a loved one is never easy. When you’re grieving this loss while trying to move forward without this person, you’re often left with little energy or emotional capability for much more. Unfortunately there are items that need to be taken care of after the funeral occurs. One of these tasks is sorting through your loved one’s belongings. Physically, this is no small job and emotionally, it will take a toll because of all the memories you will be confronted with and feelings of guilt, frustration, and sadness at having to part with more of this person. So what is the best way to navigate this task?

The first step is to make a game plan. Writing out your plan of attack can help make the job easier. You need to decide if you will go room by room, floor-by-floor, or will you tackle it in groups of items such as clothing first, books second, furniture third, etc.? By writing out your plan you will stay on track. Plus the sense of accomplishment each time you check off an item from your list will keep you going.

The other part of your game plan should be how you’re going to break items into the Keep, Donate, Family Requests, and Trash categories. Make sure you talk with other family members before starting the clean out process so you know ahead of time what items they wish to have. This will save a large headache later on. It is also important to give yourself a limit on how much you are willing to take into your own home. Setting this limit will help you avoid piling 20 boxes of items in your garage that you don’t have room for.

After your game plan is set, you should think about help from others to get through the process. First, consider how much help you want and then think about what type of help you want. Some prefer to sort through possessions by themselves while others need a support system. Sometimes it helps to have others there to share in your grief plus they can help you part with items that are too difficult to get rid of on your own. They can be your voice of reason as well as a shoulder to cry on. Another option for those who don’t have the time or the emotional capacity to go through all of these possessions, is hiring a professional organizer who will go through the items for you.

Developing a timeline can also be helpful. How much time do you have to sort through all the belongings? Deciding on your timeline can then help you determine how long you think you can work each day before you become overwhelmed or too exhausted to be productive. If you know that emotionally you can’t spend more than 3 hours a day sorting through items then set your alarm at the start of each clean out session so you don’t overdo it.

The last piece of advice is to go into this process having decided you won’t feel guilt over the decisions you make. Deciding to donate or throw away certain items is not throwing away your loved one. You have the memories of them and the time you shared which is far more important than the physical object. Making it through the sorting process is one more step towards helping you get to a place where you can enjoy the memories you have.

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You Can Still Find Reasons To Give Thanks During Thanksgiving

October 13, 2023
Bring their memory to the table Serve up a tasty reminder by preparing some of your loved one’s favorite recipes. Give a Thanksgiving toast or prayer that acknowledges the role that they played in your family’s lives. Consider creating a centerpiece made up of mementos from their life for the table. Or go around the table and ask each person to share something they are grateful for about the person who has died. Do something together to honor their memory There are many Thanksgiving Day events that your family can participate in to honor your loved one’s memory. Sign up for a turkey trot or charity walk. Watch one of their favorite movies together. Attend a remembrance service. Donate food or money in their name. Help to serve a Thanksgiving meal to families in need. Continue to share your memories Every family has their favorite stories and memories that they tell that highlight the unique personalities of each member. Be sure to continue sharing your memories and reminisce about those that you have lost. Whether it’s at the dinner table or during the football game, simply talking about your loved one is often what we need most after a loss. Accept that this Thanksgiving will be different. Try to find the balance between moments of grief and moments of joy. Listen to your intuition and only do what you can manage. Taking care of yourself is the most important thing. Grief is hard and tiring. Get plenty of sleep and give yourself permission to let in some joy this Thanksgiving.

Why You Need To Keep Beneficiary Designations Up To Date

October 13, 2023
Who can be a beneficiary? In most cases, people name their spouse, children or someone who financially depends on them as beneficiaries. A beneficiary can also be a sibling, other family member, friend, charity or trust. There are two types of beneficiaries: primary and contingent. If the primary beneficiary is deceased, then the asset goes to the contingent beneficiary. Why is it important to designate beneficiaries? Beneficiary designations take effect immediately after death. Because of this, they override any instructions that may be in a will regarding the distribution of assets. Having beneficiaries named on an account circumvents the probate process and helps ensure that assets can be transferred to heirs without delay. Even if you write a legal will leaving the assets to another person, whoever is listed as the beneficiary on your accounts is the person who will inherit. Matching beneficiary designations with provisions in your will can ensure that your wishes are followed properly. Retirement account beneficiaries Even changing your job can necessitate updating your beneficiary. If you roll over your retirement account, make sure that the account lists the correct beneficiaries. Previous beneficiary designations generally will not automatically move with your assets. Provisions for beneficiaries vary from plan to plan and state law — some of which automatically eliminate former spouses as beneficiaries. However, for many employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k) plans, these laws do not apply. A cautionary tale Suppose you married in your twenties, had two children and set up a life insurance policy, naming your then-spouse as beneficiary. Fifteen years later, you have divorced and remarried, and now, you have a child with your new partner. If you never updated your beneficiaries on your life insurance policy, your ex-spouse would inherit, leaving no proceeds for your current spouse or any of your three children. Take the time now to check that beneficiary information on your accounts is accurate and up to date. Updating your beneficiaries is simple, usually requiring filling out paperwork or making changes online. DISCLAIMER: Individual circumstances and state laws vary. Only undertake estate planning with the help and assistance of an attorney licensed in your state. If you need advice about designating your beneficiaries, talk to an attorney or estate planner to help ensure your final wishes are carried out.

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How to Help a Coworker Who is Experiencing Grief

February 22, 2023
Consoling a member of your family or close friends over the loss of a loved one can be difficult, but figuring out how to acknowledge that same kind of loss to a coworker or employee adds another layer of complexity. With family and friends whom you have a close relationship, you have the benefit of knowing that person and how you might help them manage their grief. You may not have that same level of familiarity with coworkers. A first step for managers or supervisors of someone who has experienced a loss is to make sure that your employee is aware of how the company (and you) can support them during their time of grief. Make sure that they know about the company's bereavement policy and any human resources support that are in place. In addition, let them know that you are aware that grief can have an impact on their ability to think clearly and perform their job duties. Flexibility is key to helping them. Everyone has struggled to manage the demands of work at one time or another. On average, U.S. employees receive four days of paid leave. Returning to work in such a short period of time can be challenging. Considering that the very real physical symptoms of grief, including ‘brain fog’ and loss of energy can decrease work productivity, coworkers can help by offering to assist them with some of their duties. Coworkers can also support grieving people by acknowledging their loss in person, with a note, or email. Whatever method you chose, it’s important to acknowledge their loss in some way. Remember to keep it simple. Avoid cliches about ‘being in a better place’ or giving advice. If you talk with them, don’t ask about details of the death, which can be upsetting. Simply listening is the best thing you can do. Don’t be tempted to share your stories of loss. Now is not the time to focus on your experience. It’s time to support someone else along their journey. If you don’t know your coworker well, be observant and take your cues from them. Judging as best you can when they are open to talking or when they prefer privacy. Most importantly, give them the time they need to deal with their loss. Grief doesn’t just magically disappear in few weeks or month. It ebbs and flows for a long time, sometimes even years. So, remember to periodically check back in with your coworker to see how they are managing their grief. 
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