A bit morbid, but what’s in your “Death folder”?

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I’m putting together a folder so that in the (hopefully very unlikely) event of my sudden death, my relatives have all the information they need readily available. Here’s what I have so far:

• my will
• details of my bank accounts - current and savings
• details of my investment account
• my pension details
• my employment details, which includes life insurance
• all of the utilities - electric, water, gas, phone
• my mobile contract details
• my home (as opposed to work) email and social media accounts. Not sure whether to include passwords, just in case?
• insurance contracts (buildings, contents, car, pet)

What am I missing?

Thank you!

Your funeral wishes.

A list of people you would want to be notified of your death.

Your wishes if you sustain a life changing brain injury and lose capacity rather than die.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5065101-when-someone-dies?latest=1

Here's a post I started a while ago, there's some good ideas here.

That’s a good idea OP, which I’m ashamed to say I hadn’t even considered doing but now will. I think yes , include and update passwords, but think about how will you store securely.

Login details and passwords to online accounts

People to contact, with contact details.

Letters and birthday cards for my son until he turns 21

Funeral wishes

Bank account details of my son

Inheritance wishes and name of solicitor dealing with the will

Add in your passport, driving licence, NI number, NHS number and premium bonds.

Instructions for your digital legacy - do you want any devices wiped? Accounts on SM closed?

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/money-legal/end-of-life-planning/lifebook/

I sent for the above booklet and it’s great. I have filled it in and it’s in a fireproof /waterproof envelope with our wills, birth certificates, marriage certificate, passports, nhs cards, national insurance numbers, details of bank accounts, premium bond details and pension details.
I have to say that DH thinks I am weird for doing it and will have no part of it!
Also have to say that we are both over 70 so I am not rushing into it!

But ,yes, need to add passwords to computer to file.

Your Birth Certificate
Marriage Certificate or Decree Absolute if divorced
Person registering a death needs these

F

Thank you all - really helpful.

I think it is not just a death folder but more an "End of Life" folder because death can be slow.

Both my parents had Dementia so we had to take care of everything. Luckily we had arranged LPAs but we needed access to finances at the point where they were no longer able to do it for themselves

Care wishes are important. Are you happy to be placed in a home or do you want care at home?

On death, plan your funeral as much as possible before.

The number for the undertaker
Number for the registrar
Where the service is to be held
Cremation or burial or direct cremation
What do you want done with your ashes
Music if you are having any
Who is to be invited or are
Even, if you feel you can have an idea of what you want to wear.

What insurance policy is to be used to pay for the funeral

All of these decisions can be so heartbreaking I think the easier you can make it for those who take it on the better.

Even putting instructions on what to do can help because when someone gets sick and then passes it can be such a massive learning curve at the most stressful time.

Probate can be a minefield. This is a useful link to put in or print off because it is a quick guide on what to do and in what order. I was talking about this the other day. It would be helpful if we had all the details pulled together for probate before we died so the executor of our wills could copy, and paste it into the documents.

https://www.gov.uk/update-property-records-someone-dies#:~:text=When%20a%20sole%20owner%20dies,example%20someone%20buying%20the%20property

This is a great idea though because I know too many people who are having a very stressful time managing the administrations of parents who are coming to the end of their lives and do not have anything organised.

Following OP as great idea for a thread

Thanks for posting - something we need to sort out really, and useful links from pp

Mine just has will, details of organ donation wishes and life insurance policies. It's in the same drawer as a sectioned folder with all the details of bills, mortgage, pension, birth and marriage certificates, all car documents etc which I keep for life reasons rather than death, and DH and I work for the same public sector service so he'd know what to do in terms of informing them and my death in service provision process etc would kick in as soon as my manager was notified so even if we died together someone would notify work and they'd take it from there.

I don't have my bank details written down anywhere because I've always felt it was a bit of a security risk, my parents know I bank with HSBC and Halifax (just via conversations about other things, account benefits etc) they don't know about my Monzo account but DH does and I have cards for all of them in my purse.

I don't care about the details of a funeral, funerals are for the living to celebrate and grieve so they should do what they think is best. I would prefer a cremation and again my family all know this as we all share the same views, I wouldn't be devastated if I was buried anyway, I wouldn't know I'd be dead. In terms of how it was paid for I have money in savings, life insurance, death in service payment and a transferable pension so it doesn't really matter which pot it comes from.
I don't really care what happened to my social media etc, I'm not very active anyway and it's locked to friends only. Again I'll be dead so not fussed.

An advanced directive, if you have wishes, e.g. decline medical treatment in specific circumstances (before death obviously).

Design of funeral service and booklet maybe, e.g. any songs, hymns, poems you might like and photos you'd prefer used (I'm saying this as a massively unphotogenic person - good photos of me are far and few between).)

This is a really helpful thread - thanks OP

Nothing as yet. Need to get something sorted though. Don't really know how to go about it though. I am alone in life (only child, no partner, no children, no family). Very sad situation. I think about death and the end of my life a lot and I am not even 40 yet.

Get LPA (Lasting Power of Attorney) in place in case of incapacity rather than sudden death.

I sent for that too but have ignored it so far...

I'm doing one of these sorts of packs for DH.

I also get a small payout from my Trade Union if I die which will go towards funeral expense which doesn't appear on most lists.

Tbh DH has zero involvement in the day to day stuff, so he wouldn't know who out gas and electric is with so these things are very useful.

I also need to sort a will, as I have jewellery I'd like to go to specific people.

Following as I need to do this life admin too!

My Mum passed away 30 years ago and she had everything in place plus her funeral wishes and life insurance etc.. so l did mine then. I've paid for my funeral.
Wrote a journal kind of thing with notes/ letters for my daughters and Grandkids.
Stated my wishes/ songs etc.
Left notes about everything you mentioned OP.
It's all in one box. With two more memory boxes of my daughters " Things " from being born .
They have to call one number and everything is sorted.
Even the cancellation of my pension etc..

An advance directive and POA should also be in place. It might need to be called the ‘pre-death’ box.