Keeping Track of Important Documents

It is important to know where your loved one keeps his or her important documents. If a list isn’t readily available, here are some items to consider:

• Name and phone number of attorneys, executors of the estate, financial advisors or stock brokers
• Location of any wills or trusts
• List of beneficiaries, with current phone numbers
• Copies of medical directives, with the name and phone number of the agent
• Copies of powers of attorney, with the name and phone number of the agent
• Specific funeral requests and location of burial plot, if appropriate
• Name and phone number of clergy
• Location of important papers, including birth certificate, social security card, marriage and divorce certificates and military records
• List of bank accounts and bank addresses
• List of investments, including stocks and bonds
• Insurance policies, with name and phone number of insurance agent
• Location of safe deposit box and keys, along with a list of contents
• List of credit cards
• Appraisal records and receipts for valuables
• Financial information about personal loans still outstanding
• Tax information and returns for the past five years