A personal Letter of Direction is a letter you write to your beneficiaries, heirs and those charged with finalizing your affairs upon your death. Your letter of direction does not have to meet any kind of legal format or other formal requirements. It can be handwritten or printed out on plain paper.
Unlike your will or living trust, your personal letter of direction doesn't have any legal authority, but provides you a forum to express the thoughts that you want to pass on to your loved ones, executor and successor trustee.
Your personal letter of direction can also outline more personal desires, including such details as where you want to be buried and the kind of funeral that you want. You can specify location, funeral home or even what type of flowers you would like, or whether you would like your ashes to be displayed at the ceremony or even your own obituary.
Your personal letter is the best place to outline the details of how you want your personal property distributed. You can use the letter to voice other personal requests that may be inappropriate for a will or trust, such as a general sentiment about how you would like your heirs to use their inherited assets.
Finally, you can elaborate on the medical conditions under which you would like to be taken off life support in more detail than is permitted in healthcare or medical directives. You can use your letter of direction to pass down your values, beliefs and ideals to your loved ones.
Note: The estate planning documents created using our platform direct your successor trustee and executor to refer to, and follow as much as possible, any instructions they find in your letter of direction.