In my recent article titled “When Bill Dies,” I think I didn’t emphasize enough the importance of providing your family with a document like this. If you will recall, the document I’m referring to is a comprehensive list of the information my survivors will need to carry out any financial transaction, closure of accounts, arrangements for my funeral and burial, and contact information for people who need to be called after my death. Having phone numbers, account information, contact persons, and location of important paperwork simplifies the multiple tasks heirs must accomplish after their loved one passes away.
I have made my list as detailed as possible so if someone has a question about a certain point about, say, Social Security, I include everything I can think of that my family would need to get my benefits redistributed as normally occurs when someone dies. When a family has all this information at hand, the job of completing tasks after a death becomes far easier. And having the location of military discharge papers, my will, my trust documents, automobile titles, important ID cards, and other documents saves a lot of frustration, leg work, and ultimately time.
So if you haven’t made a list of your important information, I would encourage you to do so. If you haven’t made a, good for you. It will simplify things for your heirs, and you can be reassured they will love you more for having done it. Once again, make time to put together a list you could call, “When I Die!” because they will thank you for it eternally.
