“The prognosis isn’t good, and you should get your affairs in order sooner than later.” They are the words that none of us ever want to hear, a statement of a pain-staking finality, and what exactly does it mean? Getting your affairs in order means lessening the financial and emotional burdens on your loved ones after you have died. Though a topic that no one really wants to face, in the midst of agonizing and sometimes even paralyzing grief, the last thing that they should have to worry about is your wishes and making sure that there is enough money to cover your debts and funeral expenses. One of the best things you can leave behind is peace of mind, and here are some ways to accomplish it.

Create a Living Will

A living will, sometimes referred to as an Advanced Directive, should not be confused with a Last Will and Testament because it comes into play BEFORE death. A living will is a directive of your wishes when you aren’t able to communicate them, and it cannot be overridden by anyone, including your family. It includes end of life preferences for things like life support, resuscitation tube feeding and comfort care, should you require them. Tough decisions like these can fall on your loved ones to have to make about your life if there is no living will in place by you and no appointed medical power of attorney to make those decisions, and that is something that none of us want bestowed on them. A medical power of attorney should be appointed by you because your family is not necessarily granted automatic authority to make medical decisions for you.

Free Advanced Directive forms can be found at your local hospital or online and make it easy for you to express your choices so that your loved ones aren’t left with those painful decisions. The document does not need to be notarized but should be filed at your hospital of choice with your private medical records.

Create a Last Will and Testament

This is a very important document to have in place upon your death. It specifies in detail your wishes regarding your burial and the allocation of your assets, such as life insurance, real estate, vehicles, personal property and money. The Will allows you to designate beneficiaries who will receive the assets, as well as an Executor who will handle the settlement of your estate – notifying banks and creditors of your death, satisfying any financial debts from your estate and liquidating property, properly distributing assets and funds to your beneficiaries. A will also helps to prohibit an unfortunate family battle over your estate. Wills are typically created by an attorney to ensure their validity, but blank forms can also be found online by searching your state’s probate regulations. Though some states don’t require it, you may choose to get the document notarized to ensure validity, and be sure to have it recorded at your county courthouse.

Obtain a Life Insurance Policy

Many of you have a life insurance policy through your employer that will at least cover the increasing cost of burial expenses, but it is important to note that if you leave that employer, you also lose your coverage, even after paying the premiums on it for the length of your employment there. That said, you will want to start a new policy, either through a new employer or obtain a policy from an independent insurance agency. In many cases, you have the option to add additional insurance by paying the premium, which can be utilized to pay off debts upon your death or even leave funds for your beneficiaries.

Make a List of Financial Accounts

Nearly everyone has at least one bank account for their money, and some have several, spread across multiple financial institutions. In addition to checking and savings accounts, many of you have retirement accounts via a 401K, IRA or mutual fund, perhaps, a nest egg of sorts for your later years of life. Some many also have invested in CDs, bonds or stocks. Whatever the case, it is imperative for the Executor of your estate to know about these investment accounts and how to access them in the event of your death, as these funds are often times made part of your estate and utilized to pay off your debts. Make a list of all of your accounts and locations, along with their account numbers and pin numbers or passwords, to keep with a copy of your Last Will and Testament in secure place in your home.

Make a List of Online Accounts and Passwords

We live in a primarily digital world, so most of you have at least a few online accounts, whether it be on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or perhaps your bank account. Many of you also pay your monthly bills online. All of these websites leave a trail of your activities and, in some cases, even your personal information, so it is extremely important to have them all canceled upon your death. Make a list of all of your online websites and accounts, along with your username and passwords, for your family or estate Executor to clear your information from.

Putting all of this relevant information together with other important legal documents, like your birth and marriage certificates, in one place makes it easier for your appointee to obtain the important documents that they will need to settle your estate. Doing these simple things can help simplify potentially difficult tasks in the event of your death or severe accident or illness that may limit your ability to express your wishes. They ease the arduous burdens on your loved ones by them having your choices already designated BY YOU and thereby not leaving anyone to guess what you may want. “Getting your affairs in order” should be done early in adulthood and not left to deal with when you have to because of your age or ailing health. It is never too early to express your choices.