In the first three blogs in this series, we discussed the list of essential, health care and ownership documents that need to be part of your death dossier. In this post, I am outlining the remaining documents that are important to collect and organize so your heirs will have everything needed following your death.
Life Insurance and Retirement
This folder is home to all policies regarding insurance, both life and car. A copy of your most recent policy renewals should be in this folder. If you have instructions for your vehicle outside of what is indicated in your will, this is the place to make a note of that. If your vehicle is old with little value, ask that your heirs donate it to a cause that will issue your estate a tax credit in return.
Financial information around your retirement should also be organized here, such as bank or investment firm statements for your RRSP, RRIF, or TFSA accounts. Details of what banks or investment firms manage your holdings should be included, especially if you invested in more than one place. Take the time to highlight any pertinent information, such as maturity dates and any special instructions. If you collect a pension - private and/or government - copies of statements or assessment should be in this folder.
Bank and Credit Accounts
Inside this folder, a list of all bank accounts, credit cards and debit cards will be helpful for your heirs. In addition to this list, add the following:
* A few void cheques
* List of safe boxes and their corresponding keys
* Any loan or line if credit information
* Business cards of any bank or investment advisors
Marriage and Divorce
This folder is the right place for any prenuptial or postnuptial documents. Whether or not you are still married, a copy of your marriage certificate and licence will be important to add to your death dossier. If you are divorced, add a copy of any judgments, your divorce order and divorce certificate.
Getting these documents ready is an important step in building your death dossier. Please visit my blog for other posts outlining the documents that should be sorted and organized for your heirs.
As a Master Accredited Senior Agent® (M-ASA) and Senior Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®), I specialize in helping seniors and their families through every stage of the decision process surrounding a potential move. Whether you are downsizing, moving to a retirement home or want to explore your options, please feel free to contact me. I am ready to answer your questions.