Information that’s needed in event of death?

[Witchgonebad]

I’m trying to put together a ‘death’ file so everything is together and easy to find.

It’s me, Dh and 2 DC. One is young adult, the other a teenager.
I want to make life easier for whoever may be left behind. Whether it’s me, Dh or the DC’s.

In this file we shall have...
Details of Wills
Bank account details
Life insurance details
Pension details

Is there anything else we should be including? Household utilities accounts?
Email accounts and passwords?

Has anybody been in the position of trying to sort out an unexpected death and wished they’d had access to certain information that would have made the situation easier?

This is not something I’ve had to deal with myself so far , so I’ve no idea what would be needed.

The one thing that made the whole thing easier was the prepaid funeral plans tbh (the ivy plan through age concern for info) but I appreciate that’s not something that everyone can stomach, or afford, to do.

@Frequentlymisunderstood That’s not something I’d thought about, but certainly worth considering. Especially if Dh and I both died and left the dc’s.
Thank you.

PC/phone passwords/codes. So much is paper free and stored on devices.

NI numbers.

Telephone numbers of important people who should be informed. For example relatives who might be dealing with immediate aftermath on one side of the family may have no idea of key contact details of other side.

Passwords for your phone, laptop etc. is something I've encountered as an issue. All your logon details including hmrc if applicable. Put what you would prefer regarding your funeral eg basic coffin, only one flower arrangement, donations to x. Guardianship details for under 18's and if money to be held in trust until what age and who are trustees (eg my kids money is until 25 and my db is the trustee though I need to change once I'm divorced as obviously no longer likely to meet my demise at same time as exh!)

Think about a living will too, what are your wishes if you were for example on life support with no prospect of recovery. When dh and I made our wills we both made a document stating our wishes, so that we both were clear and it was all documented. Also if organ donation is important to you put that in.

Anything that you only have access to, so credit cards, bank accounts, utilities, property deeds, car ownership, house/life/car/pet insurance. Any investments, savings, assets. Social media, online accounts, etc.

So many passwords though! I suppose phone access is a start as many passwords stored on there.
I shall make clear I’d like the cheapest, most simple funeral possible.

We are considering setting up POA for each other ASAP. We’re only 50’s but knowing how difficult things can be without it makes me think I’d rather it was in place sooner rather than later.

Something like birth certificate or marriage certificate - in order to register the death. Worth checking what you need but we almost had issues with this in registering my mum's death.

Details of where all bank accounts are and passwords for email account and any cloud storage (such as photos).

I am a solicitor in a wills department and several of my clients have written letters of wishes to close friends explaining where certain things are and asked them to remove/ destroy them in the event of their death as they don't want their DC to find them 😂😂

LPAs are always a good idea.

When my FIL passed it was very much:
Where is the will!
Passwords yes -
All the financial info - all the bank accounts, names on the accounts & numbers/sort codes. A broad idea of how much in there and what it was set up for etc also helpful.

if you are both still working, who at work needs to know? And if you have death in service, how to access that. I wouldn't have the first clue who to contact for DH at his work1

Passwords and account details. Where stuff is stored (photos etc)

We all share an app called Password1 , with PINS & Passwords for devices. Plus DH has huge spreadsheets where all the money is. We both have thumbprint access on our phones for banking etc and he knows where the savings for my cremation are. I don't want a funeral.

Ds2 also has access to my phone and we've explained our wills to the kids, his 4 & my 2.

Some kind of address book (or info about where to find one) would be good - it's hard to know who exactly to contact with the news of the death.

I believe there's 2 kinds of POA as well - financial and medical. The financial will allow them to release funds/sell stuff for care if you can't make decisions and the medical one will let them make decisions on health care.

My mum died just before Christmas. I didn't have any POA, but I was "lucky" enough that none of the doctors actually asked if I did and they did talk to me (they did ask her, but I'm not sure if her consent was exactly "informed"). If she'd had to go into a care home I would have had to go to court to get the house sold etc.

Mum left a box at her house with a copy of her will and some other documents in it, which was helpful. She also had a financial advisor who knew where her investments and things were. I'm still dealing with solicitors/paperwork etc. daily, but it doesn't feel disorganised.

Having paperwork for things like insurance (car, house etc.) and driving licenses, passports etc. somewhere known is helpful.

There's a service called Tell Us Once that updates all the government related stuff. They can cancel passports, driving licenses, stop any benefits/pensions.

Whatever you do, just make sure you keep everything up to date periodically.

Email password - most other accounts can be unlocked from that. Laptop and phone code.

Your wishes post death- music choices, where to scatter ashes etc. From personal experience, it can save stress for the family. Even if your note says that you are happy with anything, it might help take a burden away and save difficult choices and arguments.

Utilities are likely to change, this can be traced from bank and email.

@FlatCheese Sorry for your loss.
It sounds like your Mum was organised, which must have helped at a difficult time.
This is what I want in place, especially if it’s the dc’s dealing with it.

Thank you all. Some really helpful ideas.
I hadn’t considered passports and driving licenses either.

Keep birth certificates in the file as they are helpful when registering a death.

Odd one but what you'd like to be buried/cremated in and do you want anything putting in the coffin.

NHS number
Drs name and contact details
Outline funeral service e.g. hymns, readings etc. As someone recently bereaved this makes it so much easier for the family.
A joint account so you can access money in the short term.

I have created a workbook of spreadsheets with all my relevant information on everything for my dcs following my death or lack of capacity
Legal information - next of kin, LPA, DBS, NHS number, doctor and hospital number, TV licence, will information, house deeds funeral bond, driving licence, HMRC income tax details.
Savings - details of all savings and ISAs with account numbers and address and telephone numbers of providers.
Bank accounts and credit cards - same as savings
Utilities - gas and electricity, boiler plan water rates, council tax
Charitable donations - details of regular payments plus information of donations given for the past 7 years
Gifts of money given during past 7 years - details of recipients and amounts for inheritance tax purposes
Insurances - life, house, car and travel including dates of renewal
Travel - passport, EHIC, ESTA, Oyster card, Senior rail card
Health - optician, dentist, details of screening recalls
Pensions - details of all private pensions
Telephone - landline/broadband and mobile contract details
Membership of societies - dates of renewal and contact details
Car - tax, insurance and MOT details, AA membership
Employment - contact details for all my employers (5)
Store cards - details of all store cards held
Information includes account/membership numbers, contact addresses and telephone numbers. I update it every month or so.

Having sorted everything following dh death knowing all the information above I realised it would be difficult for dcs who would not know this information.
With my spreadsheets they or a solicitor can work through everything without having to look up information making a difficult time less stressful

@Witchgonebad

We are considering setting up POA for each other ASAP. We’re only 50’s but knowing how difficult things can be without it makes me think I’d rather it was in place sooner rather than later.

If youre doing POAs then I would also suggest you add your children (over 18s) to them due to the likelihood of them needing to help take care of you when you’re older. Our POAs have our DDs named on them.

@ElinoristhenewEnid

I have created a workbook of spreadsheets with all my relevant information on everything for my dcs following my death or lack of capacity Legal information - next of kin, LPA, DBS, NHS number, doctor and hospital number, TV licence, will information, house deeds funeral bond, driving licence, HMRC income tax details. Savings - details of all savings and ISAs with account numbers and address and telephone numbers of providers. Bank accounts and credit cards - same as savings Utilities - gas and electricity, boiler plan water rates, council tax Charitable donations - details of regular payments plus information of donations given for the past 7 years Gifts of money given during past 7 years - details of recipients and amounts for inheritance tax purposes Insurances - life, house, car and travel including dates of renewal Travel - passport, EHIC, ESTA, Oyster card, Senior rail card Health - optician, dentist, details of screening recalls Pensions - details of all private pensions Telephone - landline/broadband and mobile contract details Membership of societies - dates of renewal and contact details Car - tax, insurance and MOT details, AA membership Employment - contact details for all my employers (5) Store cards - details of all store cards held Information includes account/membership numbers, contact addresses and telephone numbers. I update it every month or so.

Having sorted everything following dh death knowing all the information above I realised it would be difficult for dcs who would not know this information.
With my spreadsheets they or a solicitor can work through everything without having to look up information making a difficult time less stressful

Where do you keep this spreadsheet though? It sounds like you’re very well off, are you not nervous of having all this info in one place?

I keep all our legal stuff in a small filing cabinet in the loft. My DDs have copies of our wills and LPAs. They both know my bank account details, not passwords as no one can access a dead persons bank account legally!
The only passcode they have is my phone. I don't want anyone to access my emails or Facebook or Twitter accounts when I die. They are personal to me. All my photos can be accessed from my phone / iPad.

@soontobe60 I keep the hard copies in a lockable filing cabinet with all the relevant paperwork and the excel file on a passworded computer. DCs know where key is and password to computer - tell them every time I go away.

There are no passwords to accounts included in the information - do not think it is necessary although considering setting up a separate file with this information.

@soontobe60 - I am not particularly well off - annual income of under 20K - should not inheritance tax threshold particularly as I have my late dhs allowance as well but with price of housing I have included information about gifts just in case.