When Michelle Braddock’s father suddenly passed away, her family experienced first hand what the majority of Americans go through when there is no end-of-life plan in place. In addition to grieving, her family had to stress about locating his important documents and last wishes. It took them a full year to find his financial and insurance documents, safe deposit boxes, household accounts and online information.

“The one certainty in life is that we are all going to die,” Michelle said, adding that most people find death to be a tricky topic to talk about. “Too many people do not realize the additional hardship and burden not having an end-of-life plan creates for those who are left behind with no information.”

Michelle and her husband Jonathan Braddock decided to leave their 35-year careers in financial services to create My Life & Wishes, an online planning tool for creating a comprehensive end-of-life plan for friends and family.

The site guides users through recording end-of-life information, including employment information, ID numbers, funeral desires, financial information, various account log-ins, important documents and direction as to what to do with personal property. All data is organized on a user-friendly dashboard that can be shared with authorized users.

According to My Life & Wishes, when no end-of-life plan exists, 59 percent of loved ones encounter funeral expenses, 32 percent report severe strains and disputes with the family, 27 percent assume medical debts and tax obligations and 26 percent incur legal expenses. This impact can be avoided by using the My Life & Wishes site.

“We built the site to help users understand that any information they provide will guide family in the right direction and eliminate the needless scavenger hunt for information,” Jonathan said.

My Life & Wishes is not intended to replace a will or other legal services. Instead, the company strives to complement such services to store copies of the legal documentation as well as information that may not be included in traditional wills.

After finding that fewer than 10 percent of employees across the Midwest have a will or life insurance, the Braddocks set their pricing model to provide access to end-of-life services to everyone, not just those with significant financial means. The site costs $79 per year or $7.95 per month to use.

“We hope to help at least one million families avoid the pain, frustration and hardship that we experienced,” Jonathan said. “Without preparation the struggles are inevitable, yet they are so easily avoidable.”