This can be a very touchy topic for most people. The funeral is usually not the end to dealing with family and relatives. Now comes the probate period and if we think we are the soul owners of our stuff, think again. We are owned by the government and after we die, if we leave debt, our assets pay it off. If a will is not drawn up before hand, the government can take it all, unless distributed among family members before hand. Many people are starting to take on this form of thinking. Giving away what you own before you go can avoid the use of lawyers, the long process of probate and the cause of family feuds. If you think about it, it’s just stuff! Yes we want to hang on to their memory and yes we want to hang on to their stuff and keep it in the family, but is it worth all the headaches? Probate can take a long time and frustrate the spoiled selfish bratty thinking of most individuals who think their going to live high and mighty when daddy dies! Maybe daddy’s in debt and you don’t know it! That big old house belongs to the government, not you! I believe if you really want something in this world, or something similar, then go get it yourself, don’t wait for relatives to pass it down. If they do, consider it a perk in your life, but don’t expect it to be yours! I believe that is why, in the ancient tribes, the deceased were buried with their personal belongings because they were the ones who achieved obtaining that material object and yes, it does hold their essence, but they worked hard for it or it was a personal gift and they deserved to carry it with them in the after life. So if you know you are on the way out and can still function without help, you might want to start down sizing in order to avoid long drawn out strife, grudges and regret within the realm of your family after you go.
