By Catherine Moloney, Social Services and Senior Program Coordinator

Email me at catherinemoloney@ipcboston.org or call 617 265 5300 x 12

For the months of June and July, the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) is offering 10,000 free hard copies and unlimited free digital copies of its popular, all-in-one planning guide, If Something Should Happen: How to Organize Your Financial and Legal Affairs.

The short, 44-page book takes the guesswork out of everyday estate planning and uniquely helps readers pull together everything that’s necessary into one single place – thereby creating a ‘master plan’ in the event something should happen. AIER’s book, which discusses creating a will and where to keep financial documents, as well as provides worksheets for recording financial, personal, medical and insurance information, is the perfect tool for readers who want to avoid sending their loved ones scrambling, trying to pull together the pieces of an uncertain financial puzzle under the most stressful conditions.

If Something Should Happen breaks the planning process into three easy steps:
1. Taking stock -- This chapter addresses areas to review before delving into the specifics of estate planning and financial organization.
2. Planning -- This chapter reviews key planning documents and the roles of individuals involved in making decisions in the event of disability or death.
3. Organizing your records -- This chapter provides a series of fill-in-the-blank forms to help individuals get a handle on their finances and create a “master plan” to share with the individuals they have chosen to assume various responsibilities.

The booklet also includes a page of resources, if readers want more detailed information on any particular aspect of the process, such as pre-paid funeral arrangements, wills and trusts, or powers of attorney.

Complimentary copies of “If Something Should Happen” are available throughout June and July while supplies last. To receive a free digital copy, visit www.aier.org. To receive a free hard copy, call 1-800-528-1216 and press 0. The book, originally published in 2008, normally sells for $10 per copy.
Source: Boston Seniority Magazine, May 2012