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How to Prepare Letters of Last Instruction To Family,
Employees, and Executor Regarding Funeral Arrangements,
Business Transfer and Post-Death Procedures
Compiled by Kenneth A. Vercammen, Esq. from various sources
We highly recommend all adults have a current Will, a Power of Attorney
and a Living Will. In addition, individuals are encouraged to plan ahead and write
messages to their family and executor detailing their specific desires regarding
funeral and burial. Written instructions to your family and executor containing
information and guidance will minimize uncertainty, confusion, and possible
oversights following your death. The information you furnish should ease the
settlement of your estate and provide for an orderly winding-up of your affairs.
You need to share what you know with those who ( often suddenly and without
warning) must step into your shoes and carry out your final needs.
What Should Your Letters of Instructions Cover ?
Letter to Your Family
Typically, this letter would be written to the person who is your executor.
You may also want to address the letter to your children, particularly if they are
the primary beneficiaries of your estate or they will be called upon to assist your
spouse directly in the settlement of your estate and business affairs. The letter
of instruction is prepared by you and is meant to provide assistance and
guidance to your family regarding items not covered in your will. This letter
will not change your Will. If you wish changes in your Will, speak to your
attorney. Some possible points to cover in the family letter are :
1. Funeral and burial arrangements: Where, by whom, what kind, and at what
cost?
2. Anatomical gifts: Identify the nature and location of any anatomical gift
declarations you have made.
3. Memorials and contributions: Identify what organizations or institutions might
be appropriate recipients of memorials or charitable donations made in your
memory.
4. Preparation of obituary: Should your obituary be prepared in advance and be
updated periodically? To which newspaper should it be sent?
[Letter of Last Instruction article rev 11/29/15]]
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5. Notifications of friends, relatives, business associates, and colleagues in
charitable or civic groups. Identify those persons to be contracted upon your
death, noting any particular requests or messages to be given, and listing their
current addresses and phone numbers.
6. Location of your safe-deposit box and its key.
7. Location of your will and estate planning documents: Include any trusts, buy
sell agreements, or extraneous writings incorporated in your will.
8. Medical and hospital coverages and location of the policies.
9. Social Security and Veterans Administration benefits: Identify current or
potential benefits.
10. Life insurance: Indicate where policies are located and what steps should be
taken to collect policy proceeds.
11. Location and explanation of title documents and other records relating to
your assets. Include deeds, stocks, bonds, bank accounts and deposits,
retirement plans, and vehicle titles.
12. Identify obligations involving periodic payments, such as your home
mortgage, car loans, and other debts, including amount and to whom payable.
13. Identify your attorney and professional advisers (including your accountant,
broker, trust officer, and insurance agent) who you currently use or recommend.
14. Key employees and business friends to keep business operating until sale.
The value of an ongoing business is much greater than a closed one!
15. Passwords for online bank accounts, and other finances. Where are they
16. Passwords for email accounts, plus online social media, such as Facebook.
You should review and update your letters of instruction periodically to be
certain they are complete and current. In most cases, you should personally
discuss the contents of the letters with the persons to whom they are addressed,
especially so with your spouse and executor to amplify or clarify the instructions
given and answer any questions. In all events, it is advisable to give the letters
of instructions once written to the addressees so that they will be aware that the
letters call for certain actions promptly after your death. A letter setting forth the
above items will be especially helpful if your executor is someone who doesn't
live with you and doesn't know the location of all your personal papers and
assets. For those individuals with a business, a shareholder's agreement or buy-
sell agreement is recommended.
Conclusion
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While the preceding list contains possible topics to be covered in your
letters to your family and executor, the list is by no means exhaustive. A number
of these items may not be applicable in your situation, and probably there are
many others that are applicable. The important thing is to spend some time now
considering what you should tell those most closely associated with you to
facilitate their handling of your affairs upon your death, and then write those
matters down as soon as possible.
Each of us has our own style of letter writing, especially when we are
writing our loved ones or close associates. In such circumstances a special and
personal form of communication is needed. We are mindful that each such letter
should be unique and that there is no "best way" to compose the letter. For
estate planning, speak with an experienced attorney.
http://www.njlaws.com/letters_of_instruction.htm
Kenneth A. Vercammen is a Middlesex County trial attorney who has
published 125 articles in national and New Jersey publications on business and
litigation topics. He has spoken on Wills and Elder law on numerous occasions to
the Adult Community Schools in Edison, North Brunswick, Metuchen, Sayreville,
Old Bridge, South Brunswick and Edison/Clara Barton Seniors and Perth Amboy
Seniors. He often lectures to trial lawyers of the American Bar Association, New
Jersey State Bar Association and Middlesex County Bar Association.
KENNETH VERCAMMEN & ASSOCIATES, PCATTORNEY AT LAW 2053 Woodbridge Ave.Edison, NJ 08817(Phone) 732-572-0500(Fax) 732-572-0030 website: www.njlaws.com
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LETTER OF LAST INSTRUCTIONS
This list is designed to assist you or your heirs in locating important documents and
information needed to settle your estate. You should review this document regularly
and update as needed. Compliments of
KENNETH VERCAMMEN & ASSOCIATES, PCATTORNEY AT LAW
2053 Woodbridge Ave.Edison, NJ 08817
732-572-0500
Name: __________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________
_______________________________________________
To:___________________________________________________
I. FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTSA. Clergy - Name: ___________________________________
Telephone No. _____________________________ Address: _________________________________
______________________________________
B. Burial - Yes ___ No ___ Cremation - Yes ___ No ___
C. Funeral Director - Name: ____________________________ Telephone No. ______________________ Address: _________________________ _________________________________
D. I would like to be buried at:
Name of Cemetery: ________________________________Telephone No. ____________________________________Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________
Letter of Last Instruction form rev 3/16/15
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E. In lieu of flowers, send contributions to:
Name of Charity: __________________________________Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________
F. Other: __________________________________________
II. LOCATION OF IMPORTANT PAPERS
1. Willa. Date signed: _____________________________________b. Where located: ________________________________c. Name of executor: ________________________________
2. Durable power of attorney for financesa. Date signed: _____________________________________b. Where located: __________________________________c. Name of attorney-in-fact: __________________________________________
3. Living willa. Date signed: _____________________________________b. Where located: __________________________________
4 Trust [If none write none]a. Date signed: _______________________________________b. Where located: ___________________________________c. Name of trustee: _________________________________________________
5. Health insurancea. Name of carrier: _________________________________________________b. Carrier’s address/phone number: ___________________________________c. Policy number: __________________________________________________
6. Disability insurancea. Name of carrier: _________________________________________________b. Carrier’s address/phone number: ___________________________________c. Policy number: ___________________________________________________7.. Life insurancea. Name of carrier: _________________________________________________b. Carrier’s address/phone number: ___________________________________c. Policy number: ___________________________________________________d. Named beneficiary: ______________________________________________
8. Retirement/employee benefits a. Company name, address, and phone number: _______________________b. Named beneficiary: _____________________________________________
9. Long term care insurance [If none write none]
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a. Name of carrier: _________________________________________________b. Carrier’s address/phone number: ___________________________________c. Policy number: ___________________________________________________
-Securities located at: ________________________________
-Deeds located at: _______
Pension Booklet and Summary: ___________________________
-Safe Deposit Box Key located at: _______Bank Name: __________________________________________Branch Address: ______________________________________
-Business Agreements located at: _______
-Income Tax Returns located at: _______
List of doctors __________________________
III. PROFESSIONALS
A. Attorney: Kenneth A. VercammenAttorney at Law2053 Woodbridge Ave.Edison, NJ 08817Phone: (732)-572-0500
B. Accountant: ________________________________________
C. Financial Planner: ____________________________________
D. Trust Officer: ______________________________________
E. Insurance Broker: ____________________________________
F. clergy: ________________________________
G. Other: _____________________________________________
IV. SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILDREN /GRANDCHILDRENA. College Education (describe):__________________________
________________________________________________
B. Special Training (describe):____________________________________________________________________________
C. Wedding (describe):___________________________________________________________________________________
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V. PERSONS TO NOTIFY OF MY DEATH
A. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
B. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
C. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
D. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
E. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
F. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
G. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
H. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
I. Name: ____________________ Telephone No. _______________Address: ___________________________________________
OTHER SUGGESTIONS: __________________________________________
LIST OF MAJOR ASSETS FOR FAMILY-Personal financial information including credit cards, loans, checking and savings
accounts, brokerage accounts, stocks, bonds and U.S. savings bonds, mutual funds, outstanding loans both owing and owed
Stocks, bonds and other securities. How Registered. Approximate Amount of Each. (Joint - Survivorship - P.O.D. - Trust - Custodial) If none, write none
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Real Estate: Location and General Description - Record Owners - How and When Acquired , Estimated Value - Mortgages, Approximate Amount of Each: If none, write none
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Insurance policies, pensions, retirement and death benefits: (Identification and beneficiary) If none, write none
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COMPANY AMOUNT OF POLICY BENEFICIARY
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Bank and Savings & Loan Association Accounts: Savings - Time Cert. - Checking - other. How registered (Joint, Survivorship, Trust, Custodial) If none, write noneBANK APPROXIMATE AMOUNTBENEFICIARY
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Major Personal Effects: Including Furs, Jewelry, Art, Cash on Hand and other items of Substantial Value and the Approximate Amount of Each: If none, write none____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Other Investments: Nature and in What Names(s) Held and the Approximate Amount of Each: If none, write none____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Safe Deposit Box: Location and How Registered: If none, write none
______________________________________________________________
Liabilities More Than $2,000.00: If none, write none
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Estimated Gross Estate:
$_________________________________________________________
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Computer passwords to online accounts are located at: ________________
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