Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashley V  We don't have a plan like that, but really should. Even though I'm only 22, I have actually considered a living will and a power of attorney in case of a medical emergency and I can't speak for myself. Some people would laugh at me for saying that at my age, but I work in a hospital and have also seen in my family how quickly people can "go down" so to speak. |
i wouldn't laugh at you, it's a very serious issue, really. i think you're smart.
when i was 21 i was a single mom and working as a waitress, but i had a 401k account i paid into every two weeks. it was only like 20 bucks every two weeks, but i figured the earlier i started, no matter how small the amount, the interest could make a difference in my retirement (or my child's life in the event i died). i also gave my mom a key to my safety deposit box and had her go to the bank and sign papers giving her permission to access it if anything happened to me. in it was some cash (not much, but enough to help if she had to take my child). i also wrote out a statement saying i wanted my child to go to her should something happen to me and had it notarized - i gave her a copy and put one in the deposit box. it was FREE to do it. the lady at the bank said if i hadn't done that, the money in my account and my safety deposit box would go into an account the state has. nobody would be able to access it without going through extreme legal measures- and being as though i was poor, it wouldn't be worth them doing.
dying isn't something we want to think about either, but it's easier to come up with a plan when you're young and healthy/of sound mind than it is to wait until it's too late or you really aren't in the frame of mind to think clearly.