There may come a moment when your personal information is required to resolve a personal crisis. Legally binding documents are required for important processes, such as veterans’ benefits or selling a home. Maintaining these records in one location will provide you with peace of mind in the event of an emergency. After gathering your information, please inform your designated contact of the document’s location and update them as necessary.
If gathering all of these documents seems overwhelming, or you simply don’t have the time to do it, a life care manager is ready to help you collect and manage your essential life documents.
Give us a call at 614-956-1231 to learn more.
Financial Documents
Legends about long-lost gold tucked away in great-grandmother’s home make for engaging stories shared around a holiday table. By organizing your information, your finances will stay safe and not become a missing family treasure. Here are the key financial documents you should have available to use:
- List of bank accounts
- Retirement accounts (pension, 401(k), IRAs, Roth IRAs, TSP, annuities, etc.)
- Tax Returns
- Savings accounts
- Safe deposit boxes
- Brokerage accounts
- Debt Accounts (credit cards, loans, mortgages, etc.)
- Property deeds
- Vehicle titles
- Durable Power of Attorney for Finances (Financial Proxy)
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Healthcare Documents
A medical crisis can occur from something as simple as a fall or a car accident. Planning for this crisis makes all the difference in your medical care and comfort. Your personal medical documents should include:
- Living will
- Personal medical history
- Medications list (Rx & OTC)
- Allergies
- Insurance policies (health insurance, long-term care, etc.)
- HIPAA release authorization
- Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare (Medical Proxy)
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End-of-Life & Estate Planning Documents
While it can be challenging to discuss, preparing end-of-life documents offers peace of mind, as it confirms that your wishes will be honored. Having these documents available and in one location allows you and your family to manage the orderly transfer of property and assets to the next of kin.
- Will
- Trust documents
- End-of-life instruction letter
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Other Essential Documents
Certificates of birth and death bookend our lives. In the meantime, we need certain documents to facilitate our lives—store them in a safe, yet accessible location. Access to your legal documents (listed below) helps ensure that your insurance or benefits aren’t interrupted at a critical time.
- Birth certificate
- Marriage & divorce papers
- Military records
- Contact list (family, relatives, close friends, attorney, financial planner, tax advisor, etc.)
- Social Security Card
- Driver’s license
- Passport
- Online account information (Facebook, Pinterest, Netflix, online banking, etc.)
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