No one wants to think about the day they die, but the one you leave behind will hope and pray that you did think about it so the transition will be easier for them.

Most experiences with death and dying are crippling at best, but add into the mix lack of preparation, mass confusion, financial devastation, family feuds, exploitation of the survivor, together with a variety of other peripheral circumstances, and you have a situation that is paralyzing. Protecting your survivors by having your end-of-life plans in place should not be ignored. If you don't plan ahead and put your thoughts in writing, the state, quarreling siblings, or a host of entities over which you have no control, will make your decisions for you.

And Then There Was One has been designed to not only help couples or singles make plans for when they die, but also to help those who are faced suddenly with the overwhelming task of sorting through the pieces while grieving the loss of a loved one. It is an extremely useful tool for trusted friends and family members who want to help but don't quite know what to do.

By using the thorough step-by-step checklists and fill-in-the-blanks format in this workbook, the user can reduce or eliminate most of the disorganized frenzy and (likely) unintended consequences that follow the death of a loved one-making the transition easier for their survivor(s). Protecting your survivor(s) is a compassionate gift.

It is the goal of this workbook to help you make your end-of-life plans, so your survivors can easily navigate the overwhelming maze that lies ahead of them. Educators and like professionals have praised And Then There Was One as an exceptional tool for both planning ahead and/or post loss of a loved one.

Some tools that you will find inside the covers of this beautifully illustrated, perfect-bond, 258-page workbook are:

• An eight-page checklist to help you become familiar with what is necessary for your survivors to do and know, and subsequently walk the survivor through the first few hours, days, weeks and months following their loss.
• An explanation of how estates pass and your rights as a survivor.
• Besides an explanation of all end-of-life documents, the following end-of-life forms are included:
• Living Will
• Durable Health Care Power of Attorney
• General Durable Power of Attorney
• Do Not Resuscitate Order (for the terminally ill)
• Anatomical Gift
• Forms to fill in to help the survivor organize his or her finances; form letters to copy and correspond with the endless list of business entities, and information to help the survivor do what they can to preserve their estate.
• Forms to fill in to help the survivor plan for their future, with additional information to simplify the process for their survivors.
• Information to help prevent identity fraud.
• Numerous tips and suggestions for both the survivor and the helpful friends of the survivor.

These checklists and forms have been developed because it is a known fact that the frame of mind one is in after losing a loved one makes it impossible to function at a fully cognizant level. Having checklists to go by, and forms to fill the blanks in with, makes the business end of the process easy to manage.

This workbook is the collective result of professionals who are respected members of their profession and communities. Those who have lovingly contributed include an attorney, a financial planner, a funeral home owner, a doctor, a retired registered nurse, a graphic artist, and a deputy sheriff.