December 31, 2023
Estranged & Expenses: Navigating a Difficult Family Duty
A woman is concerned about potentially being responsible for her estranged father’s funeral costs, as she’s his only child and he’s lived with a partner for 12 years (though common-law marriage is unlikely). The advice is to first consider the level of responsibility she feels towards her father, and whether buying a life insurance policy for final expenses is the best approach, given the cost and potential waiting periods. Instead, the author suggests initiating a conversation about his estate planning and final wishes
