Advisory No. 12 for Army Navy Air Force Veterans About Life and Future

Dear Veteran Friends and seniors please have a look on the eternal truth of our life. Making your next of kin or spouse aware of your property, wishes and the actions to take after your death is crucial for several important reasons.

Smooth Transition: Informing your loved ones about your all the pensionary matter including documentation to be done when you will not be with them. It will ensure a smoother transition after your passing. They will be better prepared to handle the administrative and practical aspects of your affairs, such as funeral arrangements, financial matters, and legal matters.

Reduce Stress and Anxiety: Losing a loved one is emotionally challenging, and dealing with uncertainty regarding their wishes and affairs can add to the stress and anxiety. By sharing this information, you help ease their burden during a difficult time.

Financial Preparedness: Your spouse or next of kin should be aware of your financial assets, liabilities, and arrangements such as life insurance policies, bank accounts, investments, and debts. This knowledge can prevent financial difficulties and ensure they can access necessary funds to cover immediate expenses.

Legal Matters: Certain legal matters need to be addressed after a person’s death, such as obtaining a death certificate, probating the will, and settling the estate. Your loved ones need to know where important documents like your will, insurance policies, and property deeds are kept.

Healthcare Decisions: If you have specific healthcare preferences or an advance healthcare directive in place, it’s essential to discuss these with your loved ones so they can honor your wishes regarding medical treatment or end-of-life care.

Funeral and Burial Wishes: Sharing your preferences for funeral or memorial services, burial or cremation, and any specific requests can help your family honor your wishes and provide a meaningful farewell.

Estate Planning: If you have an estate plan in place, including a will or trust, your spouse or next of kin needs to know where these documents are stored and how to access them. This ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes.

Digital Assets: In today’s digital age, it’s important to discuss your digital assets, such as email accounts, social media profiles, and online financial accounts. Decide whether you want these accounts deleted or memorialized.

Guardianship for Dependents: If you have minor children or dependents, you should discuss who will take care of them in the event of your death. Make sure your spouse or next of kin knows your preferences and has access to necessary legal documents.

Avoid Family Disputes: Clear communication about your wishes can prevent misunderstandings and potential disputes among family members. Having your intentions documented and communicated can help avoid conflicts later on.

Peace of Mind: Knowing that your loved ones are aware of your wishes and are prepared for the practical aspects of your passing can provide you with peace of mind, knowing that your affairs will be handled according to your preferences.

So, an open and honest communication with your next of kin or spouse about what actions to take after your death is an act of love and responsibility. It can help ensure that your wishes are respected, your loved ones are supported, and the transition after your passing is as smooth as possible during a challenging time.

This advisory released by DIAV is recommended that let all of us compile our documents- having pensionary and other financial implications. These documents kept in a proper folder will be easily accessible to our spouse/NOK after our demise. We may call it- “AFTER ME” Folder or any other appropriate name.

The suggested documents that may be kept in this Folder:

1. PPO- Original and subsequent corr PPOs, incl the one having correct name and date of birth of spouse. Must Keep ready your SPARSH PPO, User ID and Password.
2. Service Particulars Booklet/Discharge Book issued by ORO/Record Office on retirement.
3. Extended Insurance Scheme Certificate issued by AGIF.
4. Details of all Bank Accounts and Lockers.
5. Photocopies of all cards: ESM Iden, ECHS, CSD, Aadhar, PAN, DL etc.
6. Passport, Arms License, Veh Regn as applicable.
7. Details of investments: MF, FD, RD, NSS, MIS etc.
8. Details of Immovable Property along with documents.
9. Details of Club Membership.
10. Income Tax Details.
11. Copy of WILL.
12. Format of letters for claiming of Pension, AGIF, Funeral/Demise Grant/ ADLRS.
13. Contact details of Veterans Vertical of your local area: ZSB, ECHS, ESM Helpline, Stn HQ, CMP Desk. 14. Login Id and Passwords of SPARSH, RODRA, ECHS, Inter-net Banking, Mobile, Email etc

A recommended Format for this Folder may be downloaded for general guidance from the link given below :-

https://www.indianarmyveterans.gov.in/PDF/Downloads/Document_for_Demise_of_ESM.pdf The contents of this folder may look very simple and unimportant to us, but it will of a great assistance to the spouse/NOK on demise of an ESM Pensioner.