In the first two blogs in this series, we discussed the essential and health care documents that need to be part of your death dossier. While nobody wants to think about their own mortality, being prepared with all the pertinent documents organized in one place will save a great deal of frustration for your heirs. In this post, I am outlining the proof of ownership documents.
House, land and cemetery deeds
Gather together all the documents pertaining to your home ownership, and land you may own, domestically and abroad, as well as any paperwork pertaining to cemetery plots you may have purchased. If you own property outside your home country, be sure to include any relevant tax documents. Time share agreements and deeds should also be in this file.
Mortgage documents
Connected to the documents above, include any mortgage documents from your bank and other lenders. If you have them, property tax forms can be added to this file, as well as any payments for maintenance fees or international taxes that you have paid for a time share.
Vehicle Titles
All titles to your vehicles - cars, recreational vehicles, boats - would fall under this category. Include copies of ownership and insurance for all the vehicles you own or lease. It is also a good idea to file any paperwork pertaining to warranty repairs or recalls.
Corporate/Partnership Agreements
If you own a business, your corporation documents, trade name registration and any agreements to partnerships will be important if your heirs decide to dissolve or sell the business. Include a copy of the latest corporate tax return and the contact information for your accountant and bookkeeper.
Stocks, bonds, brokerage account info
If you have any investments, collect all stock certificates, savings bond certificates and all information regarding your brokerage accounts and your financial advisor if you have one. If you manage all your investments online, add a list of the websites you use and the login information for all of them.
Getting these proof of ownership documents ready is an important step in building your death dossier. In the next post, we will outline the documents pertinent to life insurance and retirement.
Contact me by phone or email (905-330-5201 / mariongoard@kw.com) for a copy of all the articles in this series plus the 30 Documents You Need Before You Die document.
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.
