One of the most difficult topics to contemplate is what will happen to your family after you die. It probably will be upsetting for your spouse or children to discuss as well.

But leaving your family financially secure is another way to express your love, and that’s a good approach to the conversation. Using a little humor rather than sadness might also help move along the discussion.

To that end, have you made an appropriate end-of-life plan? Think of it as an opportunity to review what assets you have (which should be done on a regular basis anyway) and plan for their distribution. It doesn’t have to be grim — you’re creating your legacy.

Is there a family member who will need a little more financial help as he or she gets older? Or is there a watch or a pocketknife that has special meaning to you? Think about who would most understand that meaning and enjoy the memento.

End-of-life plans are not only about money, of course, but include the personyou elect to make end-of-life medical or legal decisions in the event you can’t. You don’t want this foisted on a family member during a medical crisis. Everyone should know where the papers are that outline what you want done. End-of-life plans also include appointing a guardian for minor children. Don’t leave this critical decision up to a judge.

Believe it or not, you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you take care of these matters — the way you feel after a particularly productive bill-paying session or after you clean out a closet. So take the plunge.

Here is a broad list of what should be included in this plan. As you check off each item, keep the documents in a clearly marked file. And don’t forget to let your family know where this file is!

Net worth statement/asset inventory: Prepare a net-worth statement of what you own. Such a statement lists your assets and subtracts any liabilities — money you owe. This mitigates the need for surviving relatives to reconstruct your estate with little or no information. This statement should include Teachers’ Retirement System monies, bank accounts, stock certificates and insurance policies. Make sure you clearly state where additional information can be found. And you might want to list passwords for accessing online accounts. Don’t forget to include monies owed to you.

Durable power of attorney: If you become temporarily or permanently unable to conduct your own affairs, your attorney-in-fact — the person to whom you designate the power of attorney — has the authority to make financial and other legal decisions on your behalf.

Since the attorney-in-fact has great power, make sure you choose a person you trust. A copy of your durable power of attorney can be filed with the TRS.

While a durable power of attorney provides for decisions that can be made on your behalf, it expires upon your death. You still need appropriate estate planning.

A will: Make sure your will is up to date. Without a legal will and other estate documents, the state will impose its own formula on the distribution of your estate, which could have serious consequences for your family, especially if you have minor children.

Health care proxy: You should name a person to be your health care proxy. This person will have the authority to make health-related decisions if you become temporarily or permanently incapacitated.

This may be the same person as your attorney-in-fact, but doesn’t have to be. The health care proxy is typically a spouse, domestic partner or significant other, but it can be a child or other family member, friend or anyone else you feel will see that your wishes and expectations are met.

One family with two daughters split the roles of attorney-in-fact and the health care proxy because one of the daughters was an attorney and the other was a health care expert. The health care daughter oversaw her dying mother’s treatment to make sure her mother’s wishes were upheld.

A living will: While a health care proxy can make decisions for you, it is really best if you have a living will that outlines the treatment you wish to receive should you become incapacitated. For example, you may stipulate that you want every conceivable medical procedure to keep you alive. Or you may designate that under certain circumstances — and you can be specific — you would prefer to have a DNR — a do-not-resuscitate — attached to your chart. This is also a good place to clarify your wishes as far as organ donations go. (This should also be on your driver’s license.)

This relieves family members of having to make incredibly difficult decisions, or at least provides enough guidance to let them know they are doing your bidding.

Reporting a death: Last, but not least, please inform your beneficiaries or a family representative that after your death, they must quickly notify the TRS at 1-888-869-2877 to initiate the death benefits process. We advise leaving a prominent note with this phone number in your “end-of-life” folder. We also advise that you discuss the TRS’ death benefits process with your family. (The actual process and benefits for in-service members will be the topic of an upcoming article.)

Legal representation: Some of the previous items will require a lawyer. If you don’t have an attorney, in-service members can join NYSUT legal services (for a nominal fee) by calling 1-800-626-8101. Retirees can receive legal services through our UFT Welfare Fund by calling 1-631-231-1450 or 1-800-293-8063 within New York State or 1-800-832-5182 from out of state. Members also can seek advice from an elder law attorney through either service.