A headings-only version of a helpful document (see links for more info below)
A to-do list for organizing all the essential information and important documents in and of your life.
Essentials:
Put these together in one place, for those taking care of your estate after you die.
---***Will ("last will and testament," specifying who will inherit your assets if there is no joint ownership, or beneficiaries whose names are not filed at an institution)
---***Durable financial power-of-attorney form (without which no one can make decisions and act for you if you are incapacitated)
---Revocable trust (in addition to, and privater than, a will; changeable anytime during your lifetime; and harder to dispute in court)
---Letter of instruction (for important final instructions, such as where you want your ashes scattered, who you want notified of your death, or how you want your funeral or memorial service to be performed).
Bank accounts:
---List of all bank accounts & online log-in info.
---List of safe deposit boxes (and locations)
Health care confidential:
---***Durable health care proxy/power-of-attorney form
(so your designee can make health-care decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated)
---***Living will (how you want to be treated in specific medical circumstances)
---Alternative: An Advance Health Care Directive, combining your Living Will and naming a Health Care Proxy/Power of Attorney with authority to make medical decisions for you.
---A personal & family medical history (including your list of medications)
---A HIPAA Authorization that grants permission to release protected health information about you to designated parties
---Do Not Resuscitate Orders (DNR), IF and when you wish to be resuscitated (review regularly)
---Personal & family medical history (including your list of medications)
Proof of ownership (and debts), with dates:
---Documentation of housing and land ownership.
---Documentation of cemetery plots (cemetery deeds)
---Documentation of vehicles owned.
---Documentation of stock certificates and savings bonds.
---List of brokerage and escrow mortgage accounts.
---Any partnership or corporate operating agreements.
---List and proof and loans made to others and debts owed to others
(what has been paid and what is still owed)
---Tax returns--last 3 years (some say 6).
"Helps your personal representative file a final income-tax and estate return, and if necessary, a revocable-trust return."
Retirement and life insurance:
---Copies of life insurance policies (name of carrier, policy number and agent associated with the policy)
"Be especially careful with life-insurance policies granted by an employer upon your retirement."
---List of (and details about) pensions, annuities, IRA’s, and retirement plans.
("An IRA is considered dormant or unclaimed if no withdrawal has been made by age 70.")
Marriage and divorce:
---Marriage license.
---Divorce judgment and decree.
---Copies of most recent child support payment order.
---Copies of life-insurance papers benefitting or covering children.
---Qualified domestic relations order.
Financial and legal information, a checklist:
[This general list repeats items listed above, in a different order:]
• Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of lawyers and financial advisors
• Names, addresses (especially of your legal residence), phone numbers, email addresses, date and place of birth, and Social Security numbers of everyone named in your will and other documents, and everyone important in your life, for your executors and guardians of minor children.
• Location of all vital and legal documents (including birth and death certificates, adoption records, prenuptial agreements, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, military records, immigration and citizenship documents, property deeds, recent tax returns, wills).
• Location of all vital and legal documents (including birth and death certificates, adoption records, prenuptial agreements, marriage certificates, divorce decrees, military records, immigration and citizenship documents, property (housing, land, and cemetery) deeds, vehicle titles, recent tax returns, do-not-resuscitate orders (DNRs), wills and living wills and related documents).
• List of property you own, with values (include real estate, vehicles, jewelry, furniture, other assets)
• A list of all financial assets and accounts, with bank account numbers and branch locations.
• A master list of all your accounts (savings, checking, credit card, stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares, other investments, escrow mortgage, insurance, frequent flier accounts, etc). List each institution, type of account (checking? savings? money market?), owner or policyholder (you? you and spouse? you and child?), account number, contact information for institution, where certificates are.
• Details about principal income and about your retirement savings accounts and other assets, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers of principal beneficiaries.
• Details about your debts (especially to whom and how much). Include mortgages, loans, other debts. And proof on debts paid. For family history:
• List of employers and dates of employment.
• Education and military records.
• List of jointly owned property, and names of co-owners.
• A list of where you keep all pension documents, and folders on IRAs and 401(k) accounts
• Proof of loans made and debts owed (plus details on who and where)
• A list of computer user names, access codes, and passwords, or instructions on how to find them.
• Details on all forms of insurance (life, health, dwelling, car, etc.).
• A list of safe-deposit boxes, with an inventory of the contents. List all irreplaceable valuables (jewelry, heirlooms, photo negatives) and critical documents (marriage license, birth certificate, divorce papers, stock and bond certificates) that are stored under lock and key and photocopy the documents for your home office files.
Also helpful:
• Essential Document Locator Checklist (A Place for Mom)
SOURCES:
• The 25 Documents You Need (CAPTRUST Financial Advisors, 4208 Six Forks Road, Suite 1700, Raleigh, NC 27609.
CAPSTONE'S list provides helpful explanations.
• The 25 Documents You Need Before You Die (Forge Financial Advisors, Fairport, New York).
"According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, state treasurers currently hold $32.9 billion in unclaimed bank accounts and other assets. (You can search for unclaimed assets at MissingMoney.com)."
• The 25 Documents You Need Before You Die (Marc R. Gillespie, Financial Planner)
A similar list, organized by similar categories: Marriage & Divorce, Bank Accounts, Life Insurance and Retirement, Proof of Ownership, Health Care Confidential, The Essentials.
• The 25 Documents You Need Before You Die (Rachel Donnelly, Lantern Co.)