Death and Taxes

They say that there are two things that are certain in life - death and taxes.  Death we probably can't avoid and it looks like we also can't avoid taxes even if we are dead.  I'm learning the complexity of settling my first estate and it appears that death is not the least bit simple, especially for the executor.  First there are the funeral expenses and now most funeral homes will only sell packages and you pay for all the "extras" even if you don't want them or need them or even use them.  Anybody want a huge picture of my dad?  That means a funeral is now big bucks - even down to the many required death certificates which are now $6 each or $10 if more are needed.  Then there is the fun of canceling accounts, credit cards, home services, and subscriptions as well as analyzing medical bills and paying other bills.  All sorts of groups must be notified - social security, pension funds, doctors and financial institutions.  The estate may need probated and it must be advertised in multiple publications.  Then there is the filing of federal, state, and local taxes for the previous year or in my case for the previous year and the present year.  And we haven't even talked about death taxes, estate taxes, or inheritance taxes, or assessors that must be hired and scheduled. And down the road there is the disposing of household goods, a car, and eventually the house and property.  This needs to be done while trying to be fair to the whole family. This process certainly is not for the feint of heart.  It is certainly too complex for a person like me with only a master's degree.  Would a doctorate have helped?   Maybe it's the plague of being the oldest son - something like what happened in Egypt with the final plague.  But that ended in death, although settling the departed son's estate was probably much simpler then.  I'm worried that I'll make some legal blunder and end up owing more than the estate is worth or else be thrown in jail for 20 years or more.  But while I am overwhelmed, I'm not really complaining.  At least I am retired and have nothing else to do with my life - lol!   But all of this just mirrors the complexity of the times that we live in.  Nothing is simple anymore, especially death and taxes.  Everyone needs to get their share, or actually more than their share.  The solution - pray that the rapture takes place very soon.   And if that doesn't work, then the best you can do is hire lawyers and financial experts to help you through the process and share with them whatever inheritance might happen to be left over.  Anyway, they tell me it usually takes a year to settle an estate, so I guess I'll see you again sometime in 2010 - unless the rapture happens first!