Many Ohio residents aren’t concerned over family members or friends granting their final requests. However, some may want some guarantee that a final wish will be carried out even if it is unusual. For instance, there is a story involving the inventor of the Pringles can who asked that his ashes be placed in such a can before being buried.
While there is no way to know for certain if that story is true, individuals do have options when it comes to making sure that unusual last wishes are granted. Typically, these arrangements will be included as part of an individual’s estate plan. It used to be customary to include final requests in a will, but there is no guarantee that a will is found before a burial or cremation takes place.
Therefore, it may be easier to use a planning declaration. What this does is grants an individual the power to carry out any final instructions that the deceased person may have given. Like any other estate planning documents, the language can be as broad or as narrow as a person wants it to be.
Taking the time to create a thorough estate plan may make it easier for family members to settle an estate and gain closure. It may also make the process of planning a funeral easier on family members or others responsible for doing so. The use of one or more trusts may allow property to be transferred without the need to go through probate. It may also reduce the estate tax burden a person may face while protecting the family’s privacy.