Put Cremation and/or Burial Wishes in Will
The recent highly publicized disputes over of the disposition of the bodies of James Brown and Anna Nicole Smith has lead me make an extra effort to ask clients about their wishes for cremation and/or burial. The wishes should not only be communicated to family members, but reduced to writing to provide evidence should family members later disagree. Besides including the instructions in a Will, it may make sense to include them in a Health Care Power of Attorney.
In North Carolina, a person can only authorize his or her own cremation in a Will, Health Care Power of Attorney, Preneed funeral contract, offical cremation authorization form, or a written statement witnessed by two people. In other words, a simple note in one's own handwriting, with no witnesses, is not valid. Click "Continue Reading" to view the NC law on cremation authorization.
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