Organize For Your Death

This week my mother’s younger sister passed away at the age of 66. It made me realize that if something were to happen to me, my information is not organized for anyone except me. Think of all the areas of your life that you are the only one with the knowledge. Take time over the next few weeks and months to get everything organized into a file or notebook that you share with several trusted family members or a friend. In the event of your untimely death, will someone be able to take over everything you do? You should not be the ONLY one who knows anything (unless it‘s a secret you are planning to take to the grave). Compile the information and share where you keep it. Keep it in a secure place. This is not intended to be a complete source for a thief. Don’t only share it with your spouse in the event you are together at the end. While you are doing this, it would also be a great time to be sure you have a will and plans in place for arrangements after you pass. Below is a start to a list of the information that should be organized into a handy reference for your loved ones to take care of your accounts and other things after you are gone. It will be hard enough for them to have lost you, make it easy for them to take care of your business and personal matters once you have passed.
Short list of things to organize: passwords; online accounts; memberships; subscriptions; bills for utilities; credit cards; insurances; financial information from banking to 401K to stocks etc.; addresses and phone numbers of all connections such as doctors, business connections, insurance agents, lawyers, friends, relatives; work information; and anything else you can think of.