The Power of Attorney Discussion

 

An article in the local newspaper (yes, I still read a hands-on-newspaper) several months ago discussed guardianship which can be a life saving measure or a major problem.

Per the article by Julian Gray and Frank Petrich, “a guardianship is a court-appointed assignment of a surrogate decision-maker for the benefit of a person who has lost the ability to make informed decisions.”  The appointed person can be a stranger and you have probably read about individuals who have assumed a guardianship and then stolen assets from the very person the guardian was to protect.

If an individual has not planned, in advance, to appoint an “agent”, and the court makes the appointment, the relationship could continue for years while the person is incapacitated.  However, and this however is important, “the use of a power of attorney document generally avoids the need for a court-monitored guardianship.

I’ve talked about powers of attorney in previous blog posts.  Creating a medical/health care power of attorney and a financial power of attorney puts you in the driver’s seat.  You can change it any time without going to court.  So why don’t people create wills and powers of attorney?  The article gives 4 reasons: 1) People aren’t aware of the importance of these documents. 2)  People do not want to pay attorney fees.  3) People don’t have a trusted family member or friend to assume the role. 4) People don’t want to think about the future or about the possibility of future disability.

Bottom line:  plan, plan, plan.  Investigate these documents on the internet, contact a Bar Association in your state for a referral to an attorney, and talk to friends and family.

Comments?  I want to hear from you.

 

Is there safety in a Safety Deposit box?

If you are in Pittsburgh, you may have been following the story of a woman who needed to get into her deceased mother’s safety deposit box.  She needed the original will; the bank needed proof that the woman was indeed authorized.  This was a Catch-22 since the will was the proof that she was authorized.  She sued and the bank gave her authorization to access the box a month after her mother died.  The suit against the bank has been dismissed.  The woman can now move forward with her role as the executor.

While the bank is looking into changing its policies, the bottom line for now is: don’t put the original copy of your will in your safety deposit box. 

Please share this blog with friends and family and let me know if you are using the template I created to keep track of important information.

SECRETS

The Elder Law column in the June 24, 2018 issue of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was devoted to the lack of communication between parents and adult children or between adults and friends.  The statistic quoted was “it’s been estimated that as many as one third of over 75 million people who are between 52 and 70 are without children.  And some people don’t fully trust their children ...including their spouses.”  Sad.  So whom do you trust?  A lawyer?  Then who is responsible for telling the lawyer you are incapacitated or dead? 

These are some of the questions outlined in the article:

Who are your doctors?

Where is your list of prescriptions in case of an emergency?

Where is your medical history?

Where is your list of contacts (personal, professional, organizations)?

Who has access to your digital and hard copy records?

Where is your will and other estate plans?

Have you named someone to act on your behalf and didn’t tell them about this role?

Have you made funeral arrangements?  Where is the paperwork?

Where is your living will?  Have you discussed your decisions with those who will have to make the ultimate decisions?

And here’s another secret to decide on—family history.  Do you tell your children they are adopted?  That they were conceived via a sperm or egg donor?  That their mother/father is not their biological parent because or rape or an affiar?  Whew.  Major secrets.  And this can be enlightening and devastating at the same time.  Feeling loved and lied to at the same time may be the foundation for quality discussion, especially before a loved one and the one who told the lie dies.  I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer in this case though understanding one’s heritage and genetics in today’s world is important. 

My blog is about putting all the information in one place and giving that location to a trusted family member or friend.

What are your thoughts?

Digital Will

We all know about wills and power of attorneys; we don’t all know about ethical wills and digital wills.  I’ve blogged about ethical wills and today I want to draw your attention to a digital will.

Many of the points discussed in an online article are already in my template.  Here’s what Ken Colburn of Data Doctors wrote on April 5, 2018—

.                Make a list of your accounts and devices

               Write down passwords for sites and for devices.

              If you have a website, write down the passwords and any identifying info needed to access the site

4              Assign someone to be responsible for the accounts, website and devices.  This may be one person or several.  You can also include your wishes about what to do with the website or account. 

5.            Assigning someone to monitor your email account is critical.  Just think of the amount of mail you receive daily.  While most of it could be considered “junk”, I’ll bet there are some that would be important for your heirs.

6              Google has an Inactive Account Manager.  I was able to go into settings and select a manager if my account was to be inactive.  Https://goo.gl/sVJgTj.  I went to Personal Info & Privacy, Control your Contents and then Assign an Account Trustee.   Perhaps other systems have something similar.

7              Facebook also has a legacy contact.  I set up a contact last year.  You can search on Facebook for “Memorialization Request”.  The individual being memorialized must appoint a legacy.  To do this, follow these instructions:

1.     Click  in the top right of Facebook and select Settings

2.     Click Manage Account

3.     Type in a friend's name and click Add

4.     To let your friend know they're now your legacy contact, click Send

All this info is great- if we take action.  Otherwise it is merely an exercise in procrastination.

How are you going to take action?  Share…

LOVE

A shout out to Julian Gray and Frank Petrich, certified elder law attorneys, who write a column in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.   In the Dec. 24, 2017 issue their focus was on the 12 days of Christmas and a playful but serious view of planning ahead.

The main theme of the column was love and caring.  When you love someone, whether s/he’s a partner, friend, spouse, or child you need to talk about plans in the event you become incapacitated.   Where are the important papers?  Do I want lifesaving medical intervention even if the outcome puts me in a less than desirable state?  Do I want to be an organ donor?  Who do I want to be responsible for making medical decisions if I can’t make them for myself?   Where do I want to be buried?  Do I want to be cremated?   Who are the beneficiaries of my insurance, my dwelling, my financial portfolio?  Endless questions.  And these questions need to be answered both for the questioner and for the respondent. 

A good way to start off a holiday conversation may be, “now that we are all together, I want to take a few minutes and tell you why I have begun planning and I want to hear your thoughts about what steps you have taken for your future plans.”  It’s all about love and responsibility and yes, it can be about money, too, when you want to learn all the ways to protect your money for your loved ones.

I promised my blogging community that in December I would begin reviewing photos and identifying people in pictures because my kids would not know the names.   Yes, I did start.  And quickly I realized I will need a long time to complete my project.  So I am working on it.  My plan is to scan the photos and then identify the event and people and make photo books for each of my kids.  The original goal was to complete the project by year’s end.  Not going to happen.  New goal- May, 2018!

So check out the Elder Law column in the December 24, 2017 issue of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (post-gazette.com) and search for The Conversation Project (https://theconversationproject.org/)  about how to start The Conversation.

Have a safe and happy holiday season. 

Onward to 2018….

Twists and Turns

Almost every time I think I have things figured out, I learn about a new situation that either negates or reinforces a position.  Recently I attended the funeral of a friend.  Only a few months before, I attended the funeral of her husband.  When spouses die within a short timeframe, it is known as the “widowhood effect”.  Scientifically, it can be referred to as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, aka “broken-heart syndrome”. 

The adult children introduced me to their parents’ lawyer and estate planner.  We exchanged pleasantries and lamented on the children’s sadness of losing both parents in such a short timeframe.  She indicated the estates were “a mess” because neither parent discussed the will. The children and the wife did not act quickly on the father’s estate.  I am guessing that the bulk of the estate was left to the wife but since the wife had not acted on settling the estate, and now she has passed away, the lawyer has to untangle it all.

The advice most estate planners give to the beneficiaries is to take one’s time in settling the estate- take time before putting the house on the market and moving to an apartment; take time to sell collectables; contact life insurance companies immediately.  But is there a problem with “too much time”?  And in this case, when one spouse dies quickly after another, there is a problem.

The attorney indicated that a major factor in the “mess” was the lack of communication between the parents and the adult children.  Apparently some of the circumstances could have been mitigated if the parents had discussed the will and arrangements with their kids, especially by giving the adult children the name of the lawyer.

Bottom line:  Don’t leave your kids/friends/beneficiaries uninformed.  Have the conversation about end of life issues including finances and the “stuff” of life.   And be sure to let the heirs know the name of the attorney/ finance person.  And talk to your estate attorney about a Plan B in the event your beneficiary dies before the estate is settled.

If you have not received a copy of my Vital Information Form, please email me and I will send it along as a word document.

The Funeral Folder

At the funeral of a friend, the clergy told the story of the woman’s life.  He smiled when he said the woman had a Funeral File among her papers.  This file contained her wishes for her funeral including the name of the cemetery, the plot number and the psalms she wanted to be read.  She had everything labeled and her husband and children had the gift of giving her exactly what she wanted.

It is a gift.  I think most of American society think of the final preparations as morbid or scary.  I look at it as a gift.  I have peace of mind knowing that I am doing my best to have all the necessary legal and practical bits of information in one place so that my family will not have to agonize over whether or not they did the right thing for me if I become incapacitated or die.  

In honor of my friend, I am renaming my file, The Funeral File.  It has a boring label: will, etc.

Onward to the label maker and beyond…

As always, please leave a comment if you are inclined.

What Are Your Goals?

We can look at this question from many angles.  Are we training for a competition?  Are we trying to lose or gain weight?  Do we need to choose a career? And this question is also relatable to health care. 

An article in The Washington Post by Dr. Mitch Kaminshi from March 9, 2015 discusses this question from the patient’s point of view.  The medical community generally wants to solve the problem for the patient.  The patient may really want to be able to reach a level of quality of life that is important to him/her.

The same goes for thinking about how we want to leave our “stuff” to our heirs.  What are our goals?  Do we want to leave our papers in order?  Have all the important information readily accessible?  Or do we want our children or friends/ family to have a difficult time finding papers, names, and phone numbers in order to settle our estate?  Do we want to allocate our money in a specific way or do we want to leave it to the state?  Do we want people arguing over our care or do we want to have our wishes carried out if we are incapacitated? 

Each of us has an idea of what we want and too often no one asks us for our thoughts.  So tell your family you want them to have a difficult time finding all your papers when the situation calls for it so they will get off your back about getting a will or organizing your papers.  Or tell them you are taking action and getting your affairs in order and insist they should do the same.  Use my form or find another one as a start.

What are YOUR goals?  

Shhhh. It's a Secret.

Many older adults are afraid to talk about medical costs with their kids and even with their financial advisor according to a survey recently released by the Nationwide Retirement Institute.  Seriously??? 

As an older adult, I understand the awkwardness of the subject.  After all, we, the seniors, are on the declining curve of the Bell Curve of life expectancy.  But really, the more we talk about our concerns, the less frightening the choices become.  We need to know the laws of our state regarding state assistance for medical care.  We need to talk to our financial advisor, if we have one, so that s/he will be better able to guide us with our investments.  And if we don’t have investments, then we need to talk to our spouse or children. 

While “I don’t want to worry my kids” or “medical/health issues are private” ring true, the burden of having to make decisions rests upon those who are faced with unexpected critical situations.

One statistic that stood out for me from the Nationwide survey was that 1/3 of those surveyed said they would be unable to pay for a $500 unexpected expense. 

To all those who are reading this, start the conversation with your family.  Take the plunge.  Don’t wait for something to happen.  Open the discussion.  And let me know what happens.

Photo by Darin McClure

Year End--New Resolutions

The holiday season is upon us with its endless sales, recipes, invitations, decorations and music.  What I don’t see or hear about is PLANNING.   How do we accomplish what is expected of us by others and of ourselves?  We always hear about people who wait until the last minute to do what they have to do.  And, yes, the situation usually turns out ok.  But what about those spontaneous events that throw us off our course?  Do you have to go to the convenience store to buy a quick present or do you shop in September to avoid the crowds?  This is not a discourse on which way is best.  You can weigh the pros and cons of each scenario. 

Planning is so necessary and the real purpose of this blog.   Families who lose out are those who have tragic accidents befall them.  Most young people don’t plan for their death.  They don’t keep their important papers in one spot because they don’t think they have important papers. 

As the year ends, I challenge you to schedule an appointment with yourself to locate your important papers, to complete either my Vital Information Form or find another template that will work for you.  There is no time like NOW.  Do it.   If you can’t locate the Form, email me.  Make this one of your resolutions and keep it.

Start 2017 with a feeling of accomplishment.  While this is a small accomplishment in the scheme of everyday living, it is a great accomplishment for family and friends who have to deal with the aftermath of death.

I have scheduled time to review my Form this week.  With so many password changes,  a scheduled update for my Form is in my future.

Planning for life and death are not mutually exclusive. 

Enjoy your holidays....

Living Together and Not Married

If you are living with another person (a “partner”, a family member other than a spouse, or a friend) and you do not have a written set of instructions about what the individual needs to do if you are incapacitated or deceased, your “live in” will be put in an awkward situation.  It doesn’t matter how old you are, if you own the property and are cohabitating, it is so important that you take the time to write a will and letter of instruction.  Does your “live in” get the furniture or do your kids get it?  How long can your “live in” stay in the house/apartment?  What happens to the blue vase that your mother left you?  Yes, the state you live in may determine how the situation falls out, however, the overall intent is “be proactive and take the time to learn how to protect your “live in” and how to be responsible to your family”.

These are knotty questions and require some thought and a commitment of time to address.

And make sure someone other than your “live in” knows where you keep your important papers.  If you have not completed my form about your important financial and hsitorical information, email me and I will send you a copy.  Remember it is by no means the end all/ be all of information; it is a basis for you to add in your own personal touches.  I welcome your dialogue.

Until next time…

RUFADAA

No the title does not have typos nor is it a word in another language.  It is an acronym for – are you ready? - the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act.  That’s a mouthful but a topic for discussion.  You see the word “digital” so you know it has something to do with our online presence.  If you have shared your passwords and accounts with someone or have at least written down the info for your heirs to find, you may not be concerned about it.  But, if you have chosen not to pay attention to your digital life, then you must read this.  According to:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/say-youre-dead-who-gets-access-to-your-online-accounts/, 20 states have enacted RUFADAA which will govern how your family/executor will be able to gain access to your online accounts if you die or become disabled.  It is anticipated that by the end of 2017, all states will have enacted this law.

I wrote about Facebook’s Legacy Program in the past (see Security Settings in Facebook) and check out Google, Yahoo, etc. for info about their regulations if you die or become incapacitated.  So even if you have a will or power of attorney, your digital life may just hang out there without anyone being able to either close it down or view it.  Think of all the photos that are stored on a site.  Think about online bank accounts.  If no one knows they are there and if no one has access to the passwords, then there could be problems for the family. 

An attorney quoted in the CBS article suggested the power of attorney document be amended to include information about digital access.  Yes, this is confusing.  Yes, you may not think your online presence is so important and yes, you don’t think anyone in your family would want access to your online life; however, what we think about today may change so drastically in the future.  When Pennsylvania passes this law- and it’s pending- I am going to contact my attorney to find out what documents I have to update. 

If you found this post helpful, please let me know.

Deliberate Steps

The following is a summary of an article by Miriam Goodman from nextavenue.org:

If you have been chosen to be the executor/executrix, you may need to get a tax ID number for the estate.  Contact the IRS or go to their website.  This is why it is so helpful if you know in advance that you will have this responsibility.  Hopefully, if you have had the conversation where you learned that you will be responsible, you know where the bank accounts and credit cards are located, whether or not the funeral is prepaid, where the burial plot is located, and the names of the lawyer and investment personsfinancial manager

You will also need a number of death certificates to satisfy the paperwork for banks, insurance companies and the like.  People have told me they needed 30 copies while others only needed 10.  You have to know your situation so you don’t have to wait for additional certificates if needed.  I didn’t know one needs a death certificate to have mail forwarded.  Makes sense, though.

The executor needs to check bank statements quickly so that any automatic deposits and withdrawals can be stopped. 

Another step, and they are not in any particular order, is to notify Social Security and to remember to ask for the lump sum survivors benefit which is given to help with funeral expenses.  Don’t get excited—it’s a drop in the bucket but a drop here and a drop there can add up to a puddle.

If it is applicable, notify the Veterans Administration, too.

And remember, the executor is doing all of the above while he is in mourning.  It’s a sad time yet one that is filled with paperwork and details. 

You can read more about this in Scott Taylor Smith’s When Someone Dies: the Practical Guide to the Logistics of Death.

If you found this blog helpful, let me know.

LOVE

I attended a lecture last week and the speaker talked about the death of his father.   The speaker is now the same age as his father was when the father died.  He said he was going to get all his affairs in order with instructions for his family and he was doing it out of love.  He also said- and this is what caught my attention- that when it comes time for his family to follow those instructions, they will do it out of love, too.  My focus has been on the convenience, the lessening the load for the family.  I overlooked the most important aspect of family or friendship- love. 

Although the speaker was in his early 70’s, the importance of getting  one’s papers in order and providing instructions for what should be done after death is not limited to older folks.  Young people and middle aged individuals should think about how much they love their family and friends and then out of love, not obligation, takes steps to ease the burden for those left behind. 

 

If you have not downloaded my information template, please email me and I will send you a copy.   You can send me a message in the comment section below.  

Until next time…

Social Security Benefts for Minors

During lunch on this gorgeous fall day in an outdoor café, my friend, who was widowed last year, told me that her daughter was receiving social security until she finishes high school.  She was not aware of this benefit until another friend mentioned it to her.   Of all the professionals with whom she was in contact as a result of the death of her husband, it was a friend who told her she should apply to Social Security on behalf of her daughter who is still a minor.  Such important information.  So create a note and leave it with your important papers if you have children under age 18 or who are still in high school.  Someone would need to apply for these benefits—the government will not track your children down and offer them the benefits.

In some countries, organ donation is expected and one can “opt out”.  Here in the US, one has to “opt in”.  And to receive insurance benefits of any kind, one has to “opt in”.  The responsibility falls on the consumer in the US.

Make that responsibility more palatable by organizing your important papers, having THE conversation with your family about your desires for end of life care, and collecting information for your survivors that will make their journey less difficult.

As always, if you have questions or comments, please email me or leave them in the space below on the web version.

Natural Burials

One of my daughters sent me a story entitled, “A Different Way to Die: the Story of a Natural Burial.”  It was originally published on Grist.  Though I had heard of this, I did not know much about it.

The story was about a man in Washington State who decided he wanted to have a natural burial.  He loved nature and lived on 6 acres of mostly wild land.  Traditional burial involves embalming – the use of chemicals- and a wooden or metal casket which is then placed into a plastic lined concrete vault and then buried in the ground.  Jewish burials do not use embalming methods.  Another option is cremation.  Although steps are taken to reduce air pollution, soot, carbon monoxide and trace minerals are released into the air.

He and his family chose a natural burial:  one in which he would be wrapped in a shroud (fabric) and placed in the ground.  While this seems simple enough, the process can be complicated.  The family had to find a cemetery that specializes in green/natural burials.  The cemetery director told the family that since the gentleman wanted to die at home, the family would have to contact a doctor to sign a death certificate and then take it to the medical examiner.  They would also have to get dry ice to keep the body cool until such time as they could take the body to the cemetery. 

If this interests you, look up GreenBurialCouncil.org for a list of cemeteries that can accommodate green burials.  In many states it is illegal to bury a body anywhere except in a cemetery.  In some states it is required that a funeral director must be hired to facilitate the paperwork and burial.

Bottom line—talk with your family about what you want; preplan; prepay; do whatever is necessary to insure that your wishes will be carried out. 

What thoughts do my readers have about this post?  Please share…..

Home Owner's Insurance

Judi’s aunt died several months ago and the family has been in the process of settling the estate.  The aunt owned her own home and many of the nieces and nephews have taken various pieces of furniture out of the house.  Interestingly, the home owner’s insurance company has been on Judi’s back to put the home up for sale sooner rather than later.  Since spring is a better time to show a home, she thought she could wait.  The company has other ideas.  I checked with my own insurance company and here’s what I learned.

If a home is vacant- no furniture- then the company will not insure the structure for vandalism after 30 days.  If someone other than the owner or spouse lives in the house, the house becomes a rental property and the appropriate insurance needs to be purchased.  This is so far afield from what I assumed- that as long as the premium was paid, the structure was totally insured.  Three things I learned today:  1) read the home owner’s insurance policy to learn about coverage when the owner dies,  2) prepare to sell the home as quickly as possible and 3) make sure the insurance is up to date. 

Insurance policies differ from company to company/state to state and it is a good idea to check out the insurance of any property for which you become responsible.

While I was on the phone with my insurance company, I asked what happens to auto insurance when the driver dies.  I was told that “someone” should call the company to let them know of the death and to let them know who will be driving the car- even if it is only for a few months until both the car is sold and the title transferred or the title is transferred to someone per the will.

This is one more reason to be sure that loved ones know the name and phone number of the insurance companies. 

THE Conversation with my Kids

Through several time zones and plans to occupy the grandchildren, my kids, my husband and I had The Conversation.  Since I had updated my will, I wanted my kids to be aware of the changes and to hear my wishes for my advanced directives.  I have had snippets of conversation with them individually, I thought it was time to get them all together. Yay, Skype!!  With 4 daughters it is hard for me to remember what I told to whom and when.  I was proud of myself for initiating the conversation and for figuring out the technology so we could talk.

Talking about my death is not a new subject to them.  I don’t have any superstitions related to death and dying and I have always been pretty open with them about my thoughts and feelings in general.  What was new was the fact that they were all listening to the same information at the same time.  I knew this had to be a group conversation and not a group email.  When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I sent out an email.  Maybe if group messaging was available then, I would have selected it as the mode of communication though getting my 4 daughters and 3 step daughters together on a call would have been a feat because of their own commitments. 

What is most important it that my kids heard the information, were reassured that I am planning to live at least another 20 years, and they now have a topic of conversation to have between themselves:  “What is mom doing?  How will we know what is best?”  If they really listened, they know that I have taken the decision out of their hands and that I do know what I am doing- I am in control.” 

Have you had similar conversations?  What is holding you back?  Please share your thoughts…we learn from each other.

Image:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/larrison

LifeLong Learning

Want to talk to a lawyer about a will, advanced directives, power of attorney, etc.? Check out the Osher LifeLong Learning Institute classes on Elder Law. I attended a series several years ago and it fueled my desire to start this blog.  Carol Sikov Gross, Esquire (http://www.sikovandlove.com/) led the class and her handouts were most informative.  The discussion and the individual situations of the students- there were 10 of us- were eye opening.  If you have the opportunity to attend an informational class, seriously think about it.  Well worth the time. 

I remember a woman who was interested in donating her body to science after her death.  It was obvious from the difficulty she had walking that she was experiencing significant medical problems.  She worked all of her life in executive positions and she knew how to take charge of things.  I guess she was in the “information gathering” stage.  And I frequently think of her and wonder what happened to her.  I’ll bet she had all her papers organized, her will and advanced directives completed.  She impressed me as a “doer” not just a talker and thinker. 

I’m still working on my “to do” list.  This isn’t for the faint of heart.  Gathering information, thinking about the future can be overwhelming.  Breaking tasks down into small manageable bites is the best way to motivate myself.  For example, I could have said to myself:  “Self- you need to clean up the office.”  Instead, I said, “Self- you need to clean off your desk.”  Yes, it took me 2 days because of interruptions but the job was accomplished and now I can find things more easily. 

Tell me stories about your family and end of life situations.  Let’s share and learn from each other.

Vital Information Form

It occurred to me that some of my subscribers did not download the Vital Information Form so I decided to devote a post to it.

The form is to help you get your information in one location.  Some people have a box, a notebook, a safe.  Whatever you have for your family, congratulations.  This form may spark new ideas for your own personal situation.

A few new subject lines are in this version.  

Vital Information for:                                                              Date:

(To be kept with important documents in a safe place, the location of which should be shared with a trusted person)

Copy and paste this into aWord Document so it can be customized to meet your needs which may change over time.  This form can be as long or as short as you prefer. Remember, however, this document can provide critical information to your family in order to relieve them of searching for important documents and phone numbers during a stressful time.  Think of this as a map- it doesn’t provide the nitty gritty information- only directions to the location. Topics should not be deleted; skip over them if they are not pertinent at this moment in time. This is a fluid document that should be updated annually- maybe on your birthday, anniversary or tax day.

Social Security #: 

Attorney: 

Financial Planner: 

Accountant:

Insurance agent(s), policy numbers (including health insurance):

Investments: names and account numbers: 

Bank accounts:  How titled?  Account numbers for checking, savings, credit union, MAC card      (include phone number if known)

Credit/ Debit card names, numbers and Customer Service phone number: 

Burial Information:  plot location, clergy, obituary information, charity requests, funeral home, other thoughts, e.g. clothing, prayers, etc.: 

Name and phone number of church/synagogue:

Information I want on my tombstone: 

Are you a member of a burial or memorial society that may make special arrangements for funeral/burial ceremony- e.g., military honor guard?  Which one(s):

Combinations and location of safes: 

Name of financial institution of a safety deposit box and location of key:

Names, addresses, emails of people to be notified: 

Location of warranties, instruction booklets: 

Location of tax records:

Location of deeds, vehicle titles:

Location of installment books or contracts and payment dates and company phone number:

Location of honorable discharge papers and VA claim number: 

Name and phone number of newspaper delivery person:

Location of Will, Power of Attorney:

Recurrent household costs, eg, landscaper, snow removal, etc. (names and phone numbers):

Utilities (company name, phone number, account number):

Garage code:

Location of the mail box key:

Answering Machine number:

Digital

Password to get onto the computer:

Passwords for email accounts: 

Passwords for social media accounts: 

Facebook has a legacy feature:  Go to More, Privacy Shortcuts, More Settings, Security,    Legacy Contact

Passwords for all sites or the password manager user name and password:

Automatic bill paying--names and account numbers and dates when bill will appear in email or be directly paid by the bank: 

Pets

Pets name(s):

Food Preferences: 

Veterinarian and phone number: 

Medical issues/ Medications (location of medications and food):

Name of person(s)/ organization who will care for pets:

Medical History

Write down your medical history and that of your parents, siblings and first degree relatives (uncles, aunts, first cousins) if you want your children to have access to this information.

Plants/ Gardening/ automatic sprinkling system

Write down unique instructions about your plants and the schedule for your sprinkler (if applicable)

History/stories about family, art, jewelry, household items.