Glossary

A broad legal document that outlines an individual’s healthcare preferences should they become unable to communicate their wishes. The living will is an example of an advance directive. Other terms:Advance Decision (UK)

A specific type of advance directive detailing the types of medical treatments and life-sustaining measures a person wants or does not want.

An anatomical gift is the donation of organs, tissues, or the body for medical or scientific purposes.

Your Bank details refer to the information required to identify, access, and manage your financial accounts.

An individual or entity designated to receive assets or benefits from wills, trusts, insurance policies, or retirement accounts.

Time off from work granted to an employee after the death of a family member or close loved one.

A birth certificate is an official record of a person’s birth, confirming identity, date of birth, and parentage.

A specific area of land in a cemetery where a person is laid to rest.

A container used to hold the body of the deceased for burial or cremation.

A more uplifting event or service that focuses on remembering a loved one’s life achievements and personal stories.

A charitable bequest is a provision in a will or trust that directs assets to be given to a charity.

A structure with niches designed to store urns holding cremated remains.

A committal service is a brief ceremony held at the burial site or place of interment following a funeral or memorial.

Compassionate care is an approach to care that focuses on comfort, emotional support, and empathy during serious illness or end-of-life situations.

Expressions of sympathy offered to someone who has experienced the loss of a loved one.

The process of reducing a body to ashes through intense heat, often chosen as an alternative to traditional burial.

An official document issued by a government authority stating the date, location, and cause of a person’s death.

Digital asset inventory is a structured list of your online accounts, digital assets, and access information.

Online or electronic assets such as social media accounts, emails, domain names, and digital currencies.

The total sum of a person’s digital assets and online presence that may need management or transfer after death.

A digital legacy is the online presence, data, and digital assets a person leaves behind after death.

A disinheritance is the intentional exclusion of someone from receiving assets under a will.

Disposal of remains refers to the methods used to handle a body after death, such as burial or cremation.

A DNI order is a medical directive that instructs healthcare providers not to perform intubation or mechanical ventilation.

A DNR order is a medical directive that instructs healthcare providers not to perform CPR if breathing or heartbeat stops.

Embalming is a process that uses chemicals to preserve a body and delay decomposition for viewing or funeral services.

The process of managing and distributing a deceased person’s assets, settling debts, and filing necessary tax returns.

An estate bond is a type of insurance that protects beneficiaries from misconduct or errors by an executor.

An estate freeze is a strategy used to limit or defer taxes on the future growth of assets passed to beneficiaries.

Estate planning is the process of organizing how your assets are managed and distributed during life and after death.