Read This Only if You are Going to Die Someday

If you believe that you will not live forever--that the physical laws of the universe do indeed apply to you--then please show some love for the people who will outlive you by doing the following:

• Make a will. It can be as simple as writing on a piece of paper that you leave all of your earthly goods to your spouse, or as elaborate as hiring an attorney to set up various trust accounts. The amount that you own and your family situation (divorce, stepchildren, etc.) will dictate how you need to proceed.
• Talk to your family about end-of-life issues. Ideally, have an attorney draw up a living will for you, along with an advance health care directive. If you can't afford an attorney, write out your wishes on a piece of paper; or, have someone videotape you while you talk about how you want to be treated if issues of life support and pain management become applicable to you. Be honest: if you want life support to be continued for as long as your family can afford it, say so; if you absolutely do not want to be resuscitated if your heart ever stops, say that, as well. This is not about what's right for other people--it's about what's right for you.
• Draw up a durable Power of Attorney. This gives the person you name the legal standing to speak for you in case you can't speak for yourself. An attorney can prepare this for you; you may also be able to do it yourself with the proper forms. Think carefully about who you choose: most people choose their spouses, but if you believe that your spouse would be too emotionally distraught to think clearly, or that s/he might not operate in your best interest, then you can choose someone else: a parent, a sibling, a close friend.
• Review the above documents every five years, or whenever you have a major life change: birth of a child, death of a spouse, divorce, remarriage, etc. Things change--make sure that the directives you leave accurately portray your wishes.

Preparing these things is not difficult, particularly when compared to the difficulties your family will go through if you don't make your wishes known. Show them you love them--just do it.