Stop for a moment to appreciate the nearly impossible-to-manage complexity of modern life. Almost everything that comes to you by mail, computer, phone, personal contact and in the media is packaged with certain importance.  It is important, but not easy, to distinguish between the important and trivial.  Sometimes we feel overwhelmed and exhausted by it all.

Complexity is the core problem of your getting organized and understanding finances.  This problem does not change with age, it continues.  You may change because you have less ability to cope with it.

The possibilities increase for you to:

• Ignore important items because they are buried in trivial things
  
  
• Refuse to sign key documents because you cannot decide or understand
  
  
• Forget to pay bills on time because you think you are out of money
  
  
• Refuse to pay bills on time because you did not understand the agreement related to the services provided
  
  
• Miss opportunities to improve and protect your assets because you could not understand what was offered
  
  
• Delay in responding to requests for information and payment until you have time to read
  
• Become more suspicious of your family’s or heir’s motives because of actions they take “for your own good”
  
  
• Be more susceptible to “impulse” spending or giving because it seems simple and effective

In the above instances, the only solution is to prepare for these possibilities: an ounce of preparation is worth pounds of repair.

You notice the word “understand” appears above:  this relates not to some form of dementia, but the pervasive complexity of legal language which inhabits every important financial and organizational document in our society.

As you become older and perhaps have less ability to cope with complexity that is established by an ever-changing culture, you need to understand that it is okay to look for help.  Things will not take care of themselves.  Be crystal clear with your family members and friends about how you want your affairs managed if you become frail as you age.  Be blunt and ask them if they agree with your plans, and if not, why.  Listen, and then instruct them.

The following tools are designed to help you have just such conversations with your family and friends, as well as put your own “house in order” so that you may enjoy your life to its fullest!