August, 2019 - Simms Law Firm

Can’t make the funeral on time? LIVESTREAM!

When a person’s death happens suddenly, family and friends from different places cannot manage to be at their loved one’s funeral. And some religious practices dictate that a funeral be held within 24 hours.

Some funeral chapels now feature a new amenity: live-streaming the service so others can watch, and even uploading a recording of the funeral onto the online obituary.

Bryant Hightower, the president-elect of the National Funeral Directors Association, says that live streaming funeral services has been around for more than a decade but has just now become more mainstream. The funeral industry is often hesitant to any change, but Hightower says that now approximately 20% of funeral homes now offer the service, much to the delight of clients.

Call the Law Offices of Debra G. Simms at 386.256.4882 to learn more.

This blog post is not case-specific and is provided only for educational purposes and is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Blog topics may or may not be updated and entries may be out-of-date at the time you view them.

Good News! It’s cheap to die in Florida!

A recent Fox News report quoted a list of the 10 most expensive states to die in after figuring the median out-of-pocket funeral costs and median end-of-life medical care in each of them. It is not surprising that the two of the most expensive states to live in – California and New York – are also in this list.

The top 10 states that will cost more to die in are, from least to most:

Rhode Island
- Average funeral expenses: $9,269
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $16,398
New Jersey
- Average funeral expenses: $9,712
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $17,181
Connecticut
- Average funeral expenses: $9,914
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $17,538
Maryland
- Average funeral expenses: $10,069
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $17,812
Alaska
- Average funeral expenses: $10,084
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $17,840
Massachusetts
- Average funeral expenses: $10,216
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $18,073
Oregon
- Average funeral expenses: $10,418
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $18,430
New York
- Average funeral expenses: $10,799
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $19,103
California
- Average funeral expenses: $11,777
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $20,834
Hawaii
- Average funeral expenses: $14,975
- Average end-of-life medical costs: $26,492

Call the Law Offices of Debra G. Simms at 386.256.4882 to learn more.

What is a Charitable Bequest?

A charitable bequest is simply a distribution from your estate to a charitable organization through your last will and testament or trust. There are different kinds of bequests. For each, you must use very specific language to indicate the precise direction of your assets and to successfully carry out your final wishes.

In any charitable bequest, it is important to name the recipient accurately or your bequest may go to a charity you did not intend.

If you want your charity to use your gift is a certain way, you must also specify the purpose of your bequest.

You do not need to be wealthy to make a charitable bequest. A small gift is of value to all charitable organizations.

Call the Law Offices of Debra G. Simms at 386.256.4882 to learn more.

Should you give copies of your Will and other estate planning documents to your children and to the Personal Representatives of your estate?

For some people, their estate planning documents are as private as their income tax returns, and nobody is ever given copies. For other people, estate planning documents are no different than a spare key to the house, and every family member and Personal Representative and/or trustee named in the documents are given a copy.

If you are the type of person who values your privacy, who does not especially trust your children, Personal Representative, or trustee, or if you have written a Will or trust which does not treat all the children equally, then it may not be a good idea to hand out copies. Also, you may have more money than your children expect, and depending on how your Will or trust is written, giving them a copy may be letting them know too much about your personal business.

On the other hand, if you have a fairly open relationship with all your children, you regularly discuss finances with them, and you are leaving your estate to them in equal shares, then go ahead and give everyone a copy. Of course, if you decide to change your Will or revocable trust, you should be sure to give all the same people copies of the new documents. If you don’t, then there may be some arguments following your death over which document controls the disposition of your estate.

Call the Law Offices of Debra G. Simms at 386.256.4882 to learn more.

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