Estate Planning Services - What Your Family Should Know

It is important to periodically review your records, and decide whether you need to prepare a summary of your property and debts, so that others can effectively administer your estate if you are disabled, or when you die. If you are disabled before you die, your family must know about your debts and insurance, so they can make payments as they become due.
A recent loan application and tax returns often provide a good starting point to identify your assets, but these won't include some important property.

Will your family know the following?
· Location of vital documents (birth, death, marriage, divorce, adoption)
· Location of employment records (and military records, if applicable)
· List of real estate owned (including partnerships/joint ownership)
· Location of deeds, loan documents
· Payment information for mortgages, taxes, insurance
· Name(s) of person(s) most knowledgeable about property
· List of valuable personal property. Make sure your family knows if any of your furniture, artwork, or other personal property items have a special value (emotional or financial); consider the possibility that the family members who already know about these things may not outlive you
· Information regarding employee disability and survivor benefits

More