Adding belongings to your e-will
Creating your will and thinking about what you’re leaving behind can feel like a big challenge. When it comes to your belongings, it might feel overwhelming. Maybe you have a lot of things to give away or you find it hard to decide who gets what. Or maybe you’re wondering “which belongings can I put into my e-will”.
At Myend we’re trying to make this process easier. So let us guide you through the process and get you started by answering a few important questions.
Where do I start?
Start with the obvious
If you think about the possessions in your life, you’ll probably think first about your biggest possessions. Your house, pet, car, expensive art or equipment et cetera. Given that these are such large items, they will most definitely have to be divided after you die. So, wouldn’t it feel good to get the biggest chunk out of the way first?
It is advised to put real estate, valuable art and money (including investments) in a legally binding Last Will or Testament. Unfortunately, Myend’s e-will is not legally binding yet. You can, of course, still add this type of item to your e-will you like. However, make sure you also have it in a legal document and ensure your Legacy Contact follows up on this according to the local laws.
List your belongings
Now that you have the biggest hurdle out of the way (or while you’re still in the process with your attorney), you can start to list all of your belongings in Myend. Use your mobile phone to take pictures of them. You can easily do this from the comfort of your home. Just walk around, snap a pic of your favorite items and check your list while relaxing on the couch. In that way, you’ll also get a great overview of all the things you own and it will be easy to discover if you’ve forgotten anything. And you can always add something later, at any time.
Maybe you’ve bought a new coat and your sister says she adores it – in one second you add it to your Myend list and assign it to her 😃
Adding belongings to your e-will might feel intense but don’t forget the small things!
The smallest, most personal items are usually the ones that mean the most to the people that receive them. They are also the ones that say the most about who you are as a person. Every little item or memory of you becomes of great worth to the people you leave behind, because they want to remember you. Go through your old boxes with photos or cards, look at all the houseplants you have, open up your jewelry box and don’t forget your closet or garage. Like we said, the littlest things can sometimes mean the most to your loved ones.
How do I decide who gets what after I die?
So, your list is coming along nicely. You’re getting a very good overview of what you own and what there is to leave behind. Now you have to decide who to leave it to. We know this can feel difficult, but we advise you to go with your gut. Maybe you’ll find that as you pick up an item, a specific person pops up in your mind straight away. Or you can do it the other way around: take somebody in mind and see what in your list jumps out to you for them.
How to assign items to beneficiaries
- Go to the ‘Give’ section in Myend.
- Click on the ‘+’ symbol to create a post for each item you want to leave to a specific person.
- Under ‘Beneficiary’ appoint a contact from your contact list or add a new contact.
Include a detailed description of your items and the reason why you want to leave them to this person. This message or your reason why might be the most important thing for the person receiving it. If you wish, you can also leave instructions for how the item should be divided or used or what the estimated value is.
Don’t forget to maintain all possible beneficiaries in your contact list by adding their details, so everyone can be contacted after your death.
Which belongings can I put into my e-will?
In short: anything you like. Anything you can think of can have a place in your Belongings list. You can also assign categories to your items. The categories we currently have are:
Antiques, Appliances, Art, Art objects, Boat, Books, Car, Craft materials, Crystal, Cutlery, Electronics, Figurines, Furniture, Hobbies, Jewellery, Movies, Music, Musical instruments, Paintings, Pets, Photography, Plants, Toys, Video Console / Games and Other.
What happens with your belongings after you die?
After you are gone, your Legacy Contact gets access to your Myend account and will be able to determine when your belongings will be divided among your beneficiaries. If you leave clear instructions to your Legacy Contacts, it will help them in carrying out your final wishes.
Final Thoughts
We are always happy to help guide you through this process. Any questions you might have can likely be answered in our Help section. If you want browse what Myend offers in general, click here. And if you feel ready to experience our revolutionary end-of-life services, sign up today completely free of charge!
