Estate Documents
Here is a list of estate and personal documents that you need to have. Many of these need to go in a safe deposit box.
safe deposit box location and key
copies of wills
social security records for each person
life insurance policies
last year's tax return (keep 6 years worth of documentation, before that keep every year's tax form)
birth certificates
marriage license
military records and discharge papers
naturalization (citizenship) papers
divorce agreement
passports
trust agreements
most recent statements for checking, savings, and money market accounts
any other accounts
listing of credit cards numbers
listing of certificates of deposit
stock brokerage statements
retirement asset statements (IRA, Keogh, 401k, pension plans)
real estate titles and deeds for all property
most recent mortgage statement
prenuptial or postnuptial agreement
title insurance
auto registration or lease agreements
recent statement of managed portfolio
recent statement of mutual fund
stock option plans
property insurance policy
casualty insurance policy
health insurance policy
auto insurance policies
partnership agreements
charge account bills (one for each creditor)
illness/immunization records
household inventory
warranties and instructions
receipts for major purchases
living will
power of attorney
burial instructions
cemetery deed
safe combination
diplomas
adoption papers
church ordinance records
contracts
home purchase and improvement records
homeowners association agreement
patents and copyrights
medical and drug bills
pay stubs (until the end of the year)
It sounds like a lot of papers and it is. But it will save so many headaches and money if these papers and kept and kept where can be found when needed. Good luck. Leslie