This Seriously Might Be *THE* Most Comprehensive End-of-Life Resource Ever
We all know that planning for the end of life is important. That’s exactly what you advise the families you serve, especially when they’re making arrangements for someone who had not thought ahead. And while arranging and prepaying for funeral services and disposition is a huge step toward that goal, you know there’s much, much more to plan. And helping your families find the appropriate provider for each service can be like sending them off on a scavenger hunt.
That’s where Buried In Work can save the day … in the most concise, comprehensive, and organized way.
From DIY to concierge
Buried In Work is an all-in-one solution for all things end-of-life. From “wow-they’ve-thought-of-everything” kits to a website filled with free, uber-organized links, checklists, and detailed information, Buried In Work truly can be your best partner for preplanning.
“Effectively, what we’re building is the equivalent of the wedding industry’s ‘The Knot’ for estate planning, organization, and end-of-life tasks all the way through estate transition and probate,” explains Adam Zuckerman, CEO and Founder of Buried In Work. “Our goal is to give people free resources for the do-it-yourselfers, and for those who want a little extra help, we have some products available for purchase.”
Like most successful startups, Buried In Work came about because a real solution to a true need just didn’t exist. In this case, Zuckerman’s experience as his father’s executor provided the inspiration. An attorney with an MBA who has worked in finance, media and tech, Zuckerman executed what his mother’s financial planner called “the most comprehensive estate transition” she had ever seen. Consequently, Zuckerman made notes that detailed his simplified, yet thorough, process to help others. Those notes became a website that garnered more than 10,000 visits in under a week, and Buried In Work was born.
Working with Buried In Work
Zuckerman is eager to share the Buried In Work resources with deathcare professionals — not just because of the generous revenue-sharing and co-branding opportunities that are available for partners, but because these products and information will actually facilitate valuable connection with the families you serve and create better experiences all around.
“We want to collaborate with end-of-life service providers to develop and provide the essential resources and tools their families need, so they can concentrate on their core expertise,” he says.
The tools Zuckerman has created can help you to address nearly any potential non-deathcare question you might field from a family, like, “Who should I call to arrange an estate sale?” or “Can I access Mom’s safe deposit box if I can’t find the key?” or “When I close Dad’s credit cards will Mom’s credit score go down since she’s secondary on those accounts?” (Zuckerman can tell you that the answer to this is “Yes, probably,” as that’s exactly what happened to his own mother … and it took him and his siblings weeks to remedy the situation.)
Your partnership with Buried In Work can be anonymous and free by simply accessing the website for information, or you can work with Zuckerman and his team to offer “Powered By Buried in Work” products and services to your families. There are even opportunities to share your own thoughts and expertise as a guest on the recently launched Buried In Work podcast!
Mind-boggling amounts of information … for free
Zuckerman tasked his team with gathering details on virtually every aspect of end-of-life planning and finding answers to pretty much any question a planner, family member, or provider might ask. And the site is constantly updated and expanded as new information becomes available. Most importantly, the companies and organizations (including funeral homes, attorneys, cemeteries, hospice care, death doulas, etc.) that are included in the 20 Directories aren’t limited by a conglomerate parent company, professional affiliations, or anyone’s personal preferences. If there’s a provider out there who is a solid option for products or services, they will be included on this site so everyone has access to all options that are available to them. (They even have a page on How to Plan & Prepay For Your Funeral With Preneed Insurance.)
To provide a bit of context where they get ideas for the website’s content, when someone reached out asking for help on how to close an account with Amazon after a relative died, instead of simply finding an answer, the Buried in Work team took the time to contact nearly 100 of the largest companies in the US to create a database of company-specific account closure instructions.
BuriedinWork.com resources include:
- 20 searchable service provider directories (Tip: By claiming a directory listing, you can connect with potential customers and also improve your website’s search engine ranking results.)
- 30+ checklists covering “What to Do When Someone Dies”, property disposition, guardianships, etc.
- 1,800+ articles on everything from A-B trusts to Zakat
- 30+ document and outreach templates
- 15 educational guides on topics like wills, trusts, and estate taxes
- State-specific resources
- Glossary defining 100+ estate planning and end-of-life terms
…and so much more. This colossal collection of data seems to be all-encompassing, but Zuckerman still encourages feedback and suggestions on content that can be added to the catalog.
Additional options
Although this plethora of information is extremely helpful, perhaps it’s most beneficial when organized into a physical or virtual collection that can be easily accessed and followed by individuals, their loved ones, and executors. Enter Buried In Work’s signature product line, the Comprehensive Legacy & Estate Administration Repository (CLEAR) Kit.
Available in print or digital editions, each CLEAR Kit includes three separate binders for recording 1) personal information, heritage, and pet profiles; 2) technology, assets, liabilities, and tax details; and 3) final affairs, medical, and legal. The physical version is beautifully presented in premium faux-leather zipper binders that were custom manufactured for Buried in Work, includes a water- and fire-resistant material document organizer, and can be embossed with your funeral home’s branding. The contents of each CLEAR Kit is customized for the recipient(s) based on a short survey they submit at the time of purchase.
Buried In Work also offers two thought-provoking card games that are designed to open up discussions and gather crucial information about a person’s memories, end-of-life wishes, or estate. They quickly sold out at Sibley Memorial Hospital’s gift shop (which is part of Johns Hopkins Medicine) Other items available for purchase include a host’s guide to a “Death During Dinner” event, accessories to enhance the CLEAR Kits, comprehensive forms and templates (including an end-of-life planning worksheet), and even professional services like on-site workshops or facilitated Zoom discussions.
Learn more
Check out all that Buried In Work has to offer on the website, BuriedInWork.com. If you’d like to learn more about partnering with Buried In Work, reach out to Adam Zuckerman at adam@buriedinwork.com. You can also catch up with him at the NFDA conference in New Orleans this week!
