The kindest thing you can leave is a plan. Lessons from the bedside for the kitchen table.
I’ve sat with families in their hardest weeks
I’ve spent years as a hospice nurse, and I’m a trained end of life doula. I’ve been in a lot of living rooms at the end of a life.
Over and over, I watched families pull out the paperwork and realize the coverage they were counting on wasn’t what they thought. Sometimes it was smaller than they expected. Sometimes it ended when the job did.
I started Their Tomorrow to share what I learned at the bedside, so more families know what questions to ask before they need the answers.
What most people don’t know about life insurance through work
It’s usually tied to your job. If you retire, change employers, or get laid off, that coverage often ends. Some plans allow conversion or portability, but there are deadlines, and many people never hear about them.
It’s often smaller than people assume. Many employer plans offer coverage equal to one or two times your salary.
End of life costs come fast. The National Funeral Directors Association reported a median cost of about $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial in 2023, before medical bills or time away from work.
Questions worth asking your HR department
How much life insurance do I have through work?
What happens to it if I leave or retire?
Can I convert it or take it with me, and how long do I have to decide?
Does my spouse or do my children have any coverage?