Final Wishes: Expressing Your Last Requests Beyond Your Will

Final Wishes: Expressing Your Last Requests Beyond Your Will

When we think about end-of-life planning, Wills often come to mind first. However, many important final wishes shouldn’t be included in your Will. In this post, we’ll explore these wishes and why they deserve a separate document.
 

What Are Final Wishes?

Final wishes are personal requests and preferences for what should happen after you pass away. These typically include:

1. Funeral or memorial service details
2. Burial or cremation preferences
3. Organ and tissue donation decisions
4. Specific messages or letters to loved ones
5. Care instructions for pets
6. Preferences for handling digital assets and social media accounts – passwords are critical.

Why Keep Final Wishes Separate from Your Will?

There are several reasons to keep these wishes out of your Will:

1. Timing: Wills are often read after funeral arrangements have been made. Your wishes need to be known immediately after your passing.
2. Flexibility: Wishes may change more frequently than the contents of your Will. Keeping them separate allows for easier updates.
3. Privacy: Wills become public records after probate. Your wishes may contain personal messages you’d prefer to keep private.
4. Legal Binding: While Wills are legally binding documents, final wishes are generally not. They serve as guidance for your loved ones rather than legal instructions.
5. Simplicity: Keeping your Will focused on asset distribution simplifies the probate process.

Creating a Final Wishes Document

To ensure your wishes are known and respected:

1. Create a separate “Final Wishes” document with important names, addresses, and connection points, detailing your preferences.
2. Inform your loved ones about this document and its location.
3. Consider storing it with other important papers, like your advance directive.
4. Review and update it periodically, especially after major life changes or even after password changes which can be frequent.

Remember, while not legally binding, a Final Wishes document can provide invaluable guidance and comfort to your loved ones during a difficult time. It ensures that your last requests are known and can be honoured, allowing your family to focus on celebrating your life rather than guessing at your preferences.

By separating your final wishes from your Will, you’re making things easier for those you leave behind and increasing the likelihood that your last requests will be fulfilled as you envision them.
 

Check out our article on Starting Estate Planning Early

Ministry of the Attorney General Information on Estates, Wills and Trusts