Liz Weston: Dealing with death? There’s an app for that

By LIZ WESTON of NerdWallet

Planning for death and navigating life after a loss can be difficult, complex and sometimes expensive. Several apps, including Lantern, Cake, Empathy and Everplans, among others, promise to help. Death-planning apps typically offer free tools for consumers and most have additional, premium services available for a fee. Tools and services include checklists, automated account closures and document storage, as well as access to experts. Some apps partner with employers, insurers, banks and other companies that provide the app’s features to employees or customers as a benefit. The apps also may earn referral fees for connecting users with service providers.