Why is it that filing a will or choosing a life insurance policy so stressful and unnecessarily hard? We all avoid doing what’s necessary, even though it can be life changing. Is it because we don’t like the realization of mortality? Or is it because we don’t understand the legal jargon that these decisions are packaged in? Regardless of the reason, it’s a stressful topic. But luckily, the creators of the app [Tomorrow](https://smart.link/59ca8ad0dd82a) have figured out how to basically do it for you, so that your loved ones won’t have to go through what I did.
It may sound dramatic that life insurance saved my family, or what was left of it anyway. But it’s absolutely, 100% true. I lost my father when I was only 21, and it was sudden, unexpected, and traumatizing. Due to the nature of his death, no one was prepared for what was about to happen in the following months. The first step, was trying to locate all of his important legal documentation, such as a will. As it turns out, that’s easier said than done.
The trauma that happened that day was in part because, although my family like’s to think they’re realists, we all refuse to talk about or deal with the harsh reality of death. I remember so many times waking up from a nightmare that my father had died from a heart attack; “Daddy you have to live forever I won’t survive without you!” I’d beg. He’d always reassure me that he wasn’t going anywhere, at least for a long time, anyway. As it turns out, he wasn’t around for as long as we all had hoped. My life was about to change forever, and if I had known about the [Tomorrow](https://smart.link/59ca8ad0dd82a) app, it would have been a whole lot easier to handle.
I had always been really close to my father, and every Sunday I would try to go see him for at least of couple of hours. When I couldn’t get ahold of him on the Sunday of August 23rd, 2014 I thought something was strange. When I arrived at his home and found him lifeless, I quickly realized time was a gift, not a guarantee. I was so young that I never thought about how I would survive if this were to happen and I was still financially dependent on my father. I had no idea what I was going to do, until one day I got a phone call that made me feel like he was still around.
My father died of a heart condition, and no one knew about it. I still remember the look on my grandfather’s face when he found out—the utter shock of losing your son to a threat you didn’t know was lingering. Although I’ve had to cope with the fact my father chose to deal with his condition alone, it was his financial decisions that reassured me he was doing what he thought was right.
I wasn’t the only one who lost their father that day; my sister did, as well. She was only 23 and in an instant she had to take on the role as the head of the family and executer of his estate. All of a sudden, we no longer felt like the independent women he raised us to be, but more like lost children whose heartbreak took over. Yet amidst the utter chaos, my father proved he was still going to take care of us.
Both my sister and I were not fully financially independent at the time of my father’s death, and yet all of a sudden we were responsible for a mortgage, and student loans that seemed endless. Not only did we have to somehow comprehend the loss of our father, but the financial responsibilities of adulthood were rushing at us at full speed, too. We were in a panic, until we received a phone call.
Although my father’s death was unexpected, he had planned for this day for more than twenty years. He had made sure that in the event of his death, we would receive substantial compensation from not only multiple life insurance policies, but also a trust. The company that he bought his life insurance policies through had phoned us, informing us of the next steps. The money didn’t bring back my father, or heal the trauma that was left behind, but it gave us a chance to grieve in peace, and not be consumed with the financial stress of adulthood right away.
To this day, we can’t locate my father’s will. We tried for months to track it down as everyone and anyone wanted to verify the legal document. However, we never could locate it. Most likely, it was on his work computer, which Boeing quickly confiscated shortly after his death. If the [Tomorrow](https://smart.link/59ca8ad0dd82a) app was around before he died, he could have centralized all of the information surrounding his will, life insurance policies, and trust funds, which would have saved us a ton of time, paperwork, and heartache.
Due to the bureaucracy of modern day life, in order to obtain the insurance and assets, we had to physically go through his estate and eventually authenticate our legal right to his property through what’s known as probate, which took months. Tomorrow would have allowed him to organize most of his assets by photographing them and filing them with all necessary legal documentation.
When I say my father’s life insurance saved my family, I mean it. Without the support, I never would have been able to graduate from college, nor would my sister and I have been able to peruse our dreams. The money that my father left us got us through college, allowed us to become homeowners, and even gave me the resources to start my own business. Had he not taken the necessary steps to ensure our safety and livelihood, I would have never been able to give myself time to heal from the loss, and chances are, my future would look a whole lot different. It’s a good thing he had all the legal terms worked out, because if not, it would have been a whole different story; let me explain.
It’s no doubt that life insurance can change lives, as my sister and I are prime examples. However, if you aren’t properly informed about state and nationwide taxes, or probate issues like my sister and I had, most of your money could go towards paying debts or taxes. Don’t let the all the money you’ve worked for all your life go towards paying Uncle Sam. Did I forget to mention that they make sure EVERYTHING is legal in all 50 states so you don’t have to? During a time like this, you’ll take all the help you can get. Life insurance can do much more, too.
The reality of death is that, although you may be gone, your family still has many financial obligations to deal with. If you’re a parent, then life insurance is something you need to think seriously about. Not just getting life insurance either, but getting the right one for your unique situation. For example, if my father would have gotten a smaller policy, my sister and I wouldn’t have been able to seek the necessary counseling and healing time essential to surviving grief.
The advice I give to everyone and anyone that will listen, is make sure you have life insurance for the sake of your family, because in the event of your passing, they’re going to need your help more than ever. The best way to ensure that you’ll always be there for them is by making smart financial decisions before it’s too late.
If there is one thing that you can do for your loved ones today, it should be to download the [Tomorrow](https://smart.link/59ca8ad0dd82a) app, so you can get started at planning your future, and the future of your children. You have the potential to transcend time and space, simply by protecting the people you love with the power of Tomorrow.