Do you have a Drop Dead File? I hate to be so morbid, but if something happened to you today, who and how would those around you pick up the pieces? Death does not discriminate between age, sex, race, or economic status. Accidents happen. Heart attacks happen. Cancer happens. Alzheimer’s happen. Death happens. What will happen to your world of family and friends?
Over 65% percent of the population do not have a will or anything close to a Drop Dead File. Are you one of the 65%? One of the most loving things you will do for your family or friends is creating a Drop Dead File. My wife and daughter (who is our personal representative), knows where the Drop Dead File is located. In my business, between my admin and partner, they can quickly access everything needed to keep running the companies. Unfortunately, this is not the case with many people.
In a few months, my first book will be published, The Decision Tree of Aging. The book is a helpful guide for parents and children to make decisions surrounding aging and sudden health challenges to create peace in the process. Looking forward to helping thousands of people create more peace through often stressful moments in life.
Here is a helpful guideline to include in your Drop Dead File:
Legal Documents:
● Will or Trust
● Durable Power of Attorney
● Advanced Medical Directive
● POLST (if needed)
● HIPAA
Financial Documents:
● Banking
● Investments (mutual funds, stocks, bonds, collections)
● Retirement (IRAs, Pensions, 401(k), Social Security)
● Personal Notes
● Debt
Deeds and Titles
● Real Estate
● Time shares
● Titles to vehicles, anything with a VIN
Insurance
● Agent Contact Info
● Auto insurance
● Life insurance
● Liability insurance (umbrella policy)
● Homeowner’s insurance
Taxes
● Tax records
● Expected returns or liability
● Contact info of tax professional
End of Life
● Prepaid funeral arrangements
● Cemetery plot?
● Instructions about the body
● Instructions for funeral or memorial service, if any
● Obituary info
● Call list of those to notify
● Death certificates
● Notify employer, Social Security, pension plans, etc.
● Instructions for pets
● Who and how will personal property be dispersed. (will)
Online Accounts and Digital Property
● Accounts including social media with instructions
● Usernames
● Passwords