As hard as it is for all of us to “plan” for our deaths, doing so is one of the best things you can do for your family. Adding to their grief and pain by giving them no clue as to where to find your personal and business paperwork should not be a memory you leave behind.
Gather the following information in a folder and let your family know where they can find it in case you die unexpectedly or have a health crisis:
Advisors
Provide the name and contact information of any financial advisors, including attorneys, estate planners, CPAs, accountants, etc.
Bank Accounts and Safety Deposit Boxes
Bank name and account numbers for each bank where you have an account. Include PIN numbers for online banking. If you have a personal banker, include his or her name as well, with contact information. If you have a safety deposit box, record the name of the bank, the box number as well as contents of the box and location of the key.
Investment and Retirement Accounts
For investment accounts, provide the name of the brokerage, your personal broker, the location of your statement file, account and PIN numbers. For retirement accounts, provide contact information for plan administrators as well as account and PIN numbers.
Insurance
For all your policies – health, home, car, life, long-term care – provide the name and contact information for the agents as well as account numbers.
Health Care
For your health care providers, give contact information for physicians, Medicare information and any other gap coverage you may have.
House
If you still have a mortgage on your home, provide information on your lender and payment due dates. Also, provide the location of deeds and property titles. Include contact information for any home service providers – cleaning help, lawn care, etc.
Credit Cards
Make a photocopy of both sides of each credit card and provide balance and payment information.
Vehicles
Provide information on where titles and registration information are kept. Make a photocopy of your driver’s license as well.
Personal
Include a list of your friends and neighbors with email and phone contact information as well as all your email account log-ins and passwords.
This last bit of planning on your part will go a long way toward helping your family cope in the immediate aftermath of your death or incapacitation.
This article is a service of the Law Office of Keoni Souza, LLC, an estate planning law firm in Honolulu, Hawaii. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That's why we offer a Family Wealth Planning Session, ™ during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before, and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by contacting our office today to schedule a Family Wealth Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge.
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