Estate planning

Sadly, we've lost a couple of Network members this past year (not due to XLH!).The Board members were particularly touched by the fact that they had both thought about their final wishes in advance and arranged for donations in lieu of flowers be made to the XLH Network, Inc.

What about you? Have you thought about your final wishes? Not just the big things, like who gets the bulk of your assets and who will take care of your children if they're still minors. But also the smaller bequests and what you want for your memorial services.

If  you wish to leave a bequest to a charitable organization like the XLH Network, Inc., you will need to include it in your will. Your attorney can help you with the exact wording, but you'll need to provide our name and address for inclusion in the will: XLH Network, Inc., 911 Central Avenue #161, Albany, NY 12206.

Perhaps you're not in a position where you can make a donation in your will, but you'd like to designate the Network as the beneficiary of memorial donations. Instructions relating to the funeral generally do not go in a will, so all you need to do is let your family know your wishes while you're still in good health and of sound mind.

To make it easier for your survivors, which also makes it more likely that they'll comply with your instructions, you should make sure your family members have the exact name and address for any charities you wish to benefit from memorial donations. For the Network, you can refer them to our website's donation page, which contains all the relevant information on how to donate: http://xlhnetwork.org/index.php/donate/

We know it's not easy to think about death, but it's important, and waiting too long can result in your affairs not being handled the way you would have preferred. We hope that when you do make your final arrangements, you'll remember to support our work toward improving the lives of XLHers and their families.