Hey so, I’m not a lawyer, but I think this important enough to toot.

If you’re like me and you’re not legally married, and you don’t have much blood family or you’re estranged or your family is found, have a will, and put specific funeral and burial arrangements in legal documents. Even if you’re 30. Even if your partner or found family has complete legal and medical power of attorney already. Be explicit in legally binding writing.

In my state and probably others, POA is basically useless upon death. Unless there is an immediate blood relative there, the state takes over a bunch of funeral decisions and power of attorney means about diddly squat. Just please, do it.

I see that this old post is trending again for some reason, and I will add that my brother died suddenly at 40 this summer, and this was just as true then as it was even I posted. I’ve lost a lot of people, and this is well suffered advice.

Beyond the emotions and obvious, I’ll probably be paying off the unplanned funeral and burial costs for years. It’s why you’re not seeing me at cons and stuff anymore. Please heed the warning and get your stuff in order.

@hacks4pancakes Sorry to hear, Lesley