Got time while “sheltering in place”? How about getting your affairs in order? Here are easy, specific steps for creating a binder of essential documents and personal preferences that you can call “What To Know When I Go“. Ideally your loved ones won’t need this information in the near future, but it will be needed at some point down the road. Creating a binder of my father’s important personal documents and asking him about his preferences was invaluable to me from the time he fell ill to months after his passing, just one year ago. I hope it might be helpful to you and that it might help occupy your time during this crazy pandemic!
GETTING STARTED – MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED
Based on the lists outlined below, you’ll be gathering key documents, putting each in sheet protector, then organizing them by divider tab within one (or two) comprehensive binders. While you could also do the same in a filing cabinet, having them in binders is extremely convenient for two reasons: 1) The binder can easily be stored in a location not within your own home (ex: at a loved one’s home), and 2) the binder can be easily transported with you or your loved ones from place to place as needed during latter stages of care and/or after your passing. Here is the list of supplies you will need to organize all of the documents and information outlined below into a binder:
- Heavy Duty 5-Inch Binder (2 pack, so you can make one binder for “Health” and one binder for everything else) – order through Amazon.com – About $30 for the 2-pack. The front of the binder also has a plastic sheet into which you can put a paper naming the binder as well as one on the spine. You need this style because it will be pretty thick with papers and needs to withstand lots of flipping back and forth without breaking.
- Clear sheet protectors – 200 pack – order from Staples – About $22 for the box of 200. For slipping in important documents for each of the topics described below.
- Avery 8 Big Tap Insertable Pocket Plastic Dividers #11903 – order from Amazon.com – About $5 per pack. I suggest ordering 3 packs based on the number of sections below (2 packs for the general binder, 1 pack for the “Health” binder). The width of these allows for the divider tabs to extend beyond the edge of the sheet protectors which makes it easy to find what you need quickly. These dividers also offer the ability to slip papers in and out of the folder that divides each section. That is helpful for quickly organizing papers.
- Divider Tabs – an already completed template for printing the topics for divider tabs is here.
NOTE: Many thanks to my relatives who created the original table of contents for the binder and shared it with me when my father was sick. The lists below are in no particular order and not intended to replace appropriate legal or financial counsel. Be sure not to keep the binder in your own home for identity purposes. Best wishes and God bless!
The “General” Binder
Each of the bold and capitalized sections below corresponds to a section of the binder that should be labeled on the binder tabs (see printable list here). Review each of the items within each section. If you have the documents or information, put them in a sheet protector and put it in the corresponding section of the binder. If something doesn’t correspond to you, ignore it. If you prefer not to use original documents, include copies with a note of where the originals may be found if needed.
IDENTIFICATION
- Passport
- Birth Certificate (including those of any minor children)
- Social Security Numbers/Cards (including those of any minor children)
- Veteran/Services Info / Military Current / Military Discharge Papers
- Marriage / Divorce / Custody Certificates or Agreements
- Photocopy of the back and front of everything carried in your wallet (ex: Driver’s License, credit cards)
CONTACT INFO – In case of serious illness/death, email addresses are ideal for notifying folks of your passing and the subsequent arrangments of services, funds, donations, etc. If you include phone numbers in your contact list, be sure to indicate if it is a cell phone, and then specifically if it is a cell phone that can receive texts. (Remember, many Boomers still have flip phones or no cell phones at all, so this is key for an elder population!) Consider going above and beyond in organizing your contact list by indicating who should be notified of critical health events and/or your death first and/or who should (or shouldn’t?) be invited to a memorial service, funeral, or other similar type of event. You might find it helpful to export and print a copy of the contacts in your email / phone and then highlight or star according to the details below.
- Social contacts
- Family
- Friends
- Club / Community Members
- Neighbors
- Co-Workers
- Lawyer
- Accountant
- Insurance Agent(s)
- Veteran’s Administration
- Local Post Office
- Employment
- Direct Supervisor / Boss
- Human Resources Director and/or Insurance Department
- Subscriptions / Memberships
- Labor Unions
- Fraternal / Sorority Organizations
- Alumni Networks
- Local Boards / Offices
- Gym / Workout / Dance / Golf / Etc,
GENERAL WISHES/PLANS – In this section, indicate your preferences for the following. Note the descriptions specifically because some of the preferences are already included in formal documents like a “Living Will”, but some things are more nuanced and not necessarily included in legal preparations like “what kind of outfit you might want to be buried in” or “what kind of urn you prefer for your ashes”, etc. Copies of each of the following preferences may also be put into the “Health” binder if you are creating a separate one.
- Long Term Care
- Names/Contact info for preferred local facilities – Bonus points if you have visited them and can detail whether or not they accept your kind of medical insurance! (If you haven’t visited them already, after the pandemic is over, you might consider going on some informational ‘field trips’)
- What kinds of care you prefer if you are physically infirm, but mentally intact
- What kinds of care you prefer if you are mentally infirm, but physically in tact
- Death
- What you prefer is done with your body
- Organ donation
- Burial / cremation
- Casket / urn
- Open/closed casket
- Particular outfit / shoes /make up
- Cemetary / Mausoleum / Crypt / Location of the keeping or spreading of ashes
- Contact info for local facilties – Bonus points if you have visited those facilties and already made arrangements
- What you prefer is done with your body
- Funeral / Memorial / Celebration of Life Services
- Contact info for local facilties – Bonus points if you have visited those facilities and already made arrangements
- Event specifics such as: kind of service, preferred location, time of day, who to invite, food/drink to serve, music to play, photos to show, color schemes to use, etc.
- Extent of involvement of religious professionals (ex: priests, pastors, rabbi, etc.)
- Desires for Pets
- Who gets them / what should be done with them upon extended hospitalization or death
- See section below called “Pets” for more specifics
LEGAL WISHES / PLANS – You will likely need an attorney to help you prepare the following documents. (Many attorneys are offering the creation of these documents remotely, so contact your attorney about options during this pandemic):
- Living Will
- Power of Attorney
- Trust Info
- Last Will & Testament
- Conservator Doc
- Pre-Nuptial Agreement(s)
INSURANCES – As you prepare these documents, consider the e
- Life Insurance(s) – Vendor, policy # & named beneficiaries, payments
- Vehicle Insurance(s) – Vendor, policy #, payments, types of things covered
- Home Owner’s Insurance(s) – Vendor, policy #, payments, types of things covered
- Contact info for all of the above
- To file claims
- To terminate the policies
VEHICLE INFO
- Title
- Registration
- Lease / Loan Info – Bonus points if you note the procedures for what to do with the lease/loan upon your passing
- Fast Pass / EZ Pass Info
- Sirius XM or other satellite service info
- Contact info for any of the above if not included in the documented paperwork
HOME INFO
- Title / Lease / Deed / Assessment Notice / Rental Agreement(s)
- Mutual Membership / HOA Info
- Settlement statements / Original closing documents
- Mortgage / Equity / Other Loans & Lines of Credit – agencies, policy #s, payments, frequencies, etc.
- Property Taxes
- Bills / Utilities / Maintenance
- Electric
- Water
- Cable / Internet / TV
- Gas
- Phone
- Cleaning
- Landscaping
- Pool / Spa
- Trash / Recycling
- Snow removal
- Property Management
- Vacation Homes / Vacation Time Shares / Vacation Clubs
INCOME
- Latest Tax Return (keep last few years in a separate place, noting where they can be found)
- Social Security Info
- W-2 / 1099
- Assets / Investments (ex: stocks, bonds, portfolios, IRA, corporate options, retirement accounts)
- Pension Records
- Contact info for service providers / brokers for any of the above – bonus points if you can indicate exactly what should happen to access or address each in the event of your passing
- Passwords for online management of any of the above
DEBT – Be sure to include current amounts and terms of each below.
- Credit cards (statements, account #s, passwords for online access)
- Loans (unrelated to home and vehicle – those are in separate sections above)
- Credit Unions
- Credit Reporting Agency Notification Form – This is something your loved ones will need upon your passing. Print THREE copies of this document because your loved ones will need to send out one to each of the entities listed below. This will be done as soon as official copies of a death certificate are obtained, so there is minimal chance of a chance of identity being stolen or credit being taken out on behalf of the deceased:
- Experion
- Equifax
- TransUnion
BANKING – I strongly recommend going to the bank with a loved one NOW and going through the procedure of adding that person’s name to your accounts as a full co-account holder if you don’t already have a loved one’s name(s) on your account. This is DIFFERENT from and one step BETTER THAN simply naming the person as a beneficiary because it saves on the red tape of access to funds in the event of extended hospitalization or unexpected death. This may be very helpful and convenient to your loved ones to access funds to maintain things like the mortgage payments, home maintenance, and more.
- Checking accounts
- passwords to online checking
- note where the checkbook(s) can be found
- Savings accounts
- passwords to online banking
- note where the documentation can be found
PETS
- Veterinarian contact info
- Vaccination records
- Original adoption / breeder records
- Chip info
- Groomer contact info & description of typical services
- Contact info for local boarding faciltities (in the event they need to be boarded while you are in temporary care or to where they can be taken in case of emergency)
- General care instructions
- Location of leashes/litter boxes in your residence
- Location of food in your residence
- How much food and when they are to be fed
- How often they are walked / let outside / litter changed
- When and how to change water for fish
- Etc.
USERNAMES & PASSWORDS – In this section are all the usernames and passwords unrelated to anything else above. Examples such as:
- Cell phone
- Laptop
- Frequent Flyer Accounts – Bonus points if you have called to see if you are allowed to arrange for beneficiaries to be named for your miles
- Shutterfly
- Nest
- Dropbox
- Social Media (ex: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
- Apps that charge monthly (ex: Google Play, Pandora, Spotify)
- Payment apps (ex: PayPal, Venmo)
- Anything that is a page or app you regularly use and/or is a page that is set to automatically pop up when you access the internet from your device(s)
KEYS & CODES – Note where they can be found and for each key identify which lock it opens and for what purposes.
- Home
- Garage
- Shed / Storage Unit
- Safety Deposit Box
- Mailbox
- Home Safe Box
- Filing Cabinets
- Other Cabinets / Containers
- Neighbors’ Homes / Units
KEEPSAKES – Have a conversation with your loved ones about where these things are kept/can be found. Bonus points if you share with your loved ones why your keepsakes are important to you.
- Family Photos
- Location of hard copy albums
- Location of online albums
- Passwords to accounts & apps (ex: Google Photos, Shutterfly, Dropbox)
- Location of backed up files / additional hard drives with photos on them
- Special jewelry
- Yearbooks
- Wedding Album(s) / Dresses / Rings
- Journals
- Special Books
- Momentos
- Heirlooms
- Etc.
The “Health” Binder
Depending upon how fat your “General” Binder is, you may or may not be able to incorporate these items within it. The advantage to having it separate is that many of these things are more immediately needed during emergency care, long term care, and/or latter stages of long term care. In other words, this stuff is referenced almost exclusively while you are still alive; and as you go from doctor to doctor or facility to facility, it may help to have records in one handy place. Parts of the “General” Binder may need to be referenced, especially during long term care and/or as mental faculties decline. It may be helpful to have some of those sections also copied in the “Health” Binder if you are going to make a separate one.
- Primary Care Physician
- Additional Physicians (ex: Ob/Gyn, Dermatologist, Oncologist, etc.)
- Dentist
- Optometrist
- Preferred Pharmacy
- General Health Insurance Card / Info
- Medicare Info
- Medicare “Part B” Info
- Long Term Care Insurance Info
- Veterans Administration Care Info
- Durable Power of Attorney for Healthy Care / Health Care Proxy
- List of Medications / Vitamins / Supplements
- Frequency & dosages
- Location of where they can be found in your residence
- Contact info for any corporate or business health care personnel
- Copies of important health reports (ex: last physical, MRI, X-rays, mammography, blood tests, colonoscopy, EKG, etc.)
I hope this list will help you in the event of an emergency, illness, or the inevitable, though I hope you stay absolutely strong and healthy during this challenging pandemic! If you have any suggestions for additions or particularly useful links, please add them in the comments. Thank you and be well!!
🙂 Carolyn