What to put in my death folder

[T00ManyBooks]

Recently I’ve been thinking I need to write a death folder. Have been to a few funerals that have made me think I need to write down what I want, but I also want to make things easier for others in the event I’m not around.
so what would you want in a “I’m dead” folder?
i’m thinking:

will
pension info
bank account info (?)
funeral directions.

House mortgage stuff is shared between me and (civil) partner, as is all bills for house and car. We also have a daughter, so maybe something for her?

Passwords...

Is your DD shared and/or adult?

What if you and your civil partner die together? Morbid I know but i happens.

Sorry, just spotted "we". Is she adult?

Yes, all the passwords, accounts, computer, email, finance, banks etc

Who would you like to take care of your children if you have any

Who inherits what
How you would like your funeral e.g burrial, or other options
Any songs you prefer or poems read

I would personally also write letters to loved ones to receive after my death.

We have an 'in case we die' folder in our filing cabinet. Just in case

Apart from will/ solicitors/bank//mortgage/pension info it also has Dr, dentist, utilities companies... all the shit that needs cancelling/advising when someone dies.

Apple now let you create a legacy contact’ who can access your photos etc after your death.

Your birth certificate.
Your marriage certificate if you have one.
Your divorce certificate if you have one.
Confirmation from the bank or solicitor who has arranged your will that they have it! - MIL and DF both let us know the solicitors who had their wills but both of the solicitors said they hadn't got it / couldn't find it, when they passed so probate took ages.

My father told me that there was an 'If I die' folder on his laptop, password in the desk drawer. When I said surely it should be when, not if, I got short shrift!! But, technically I am right 😂

Things such as prepayment funeral plans and any wishes for your funeral/direct to cremation and subsequent remains. Anything you want in an order of service.

maybe any personal wishes for items not in your will, eg hobby items which you want donated to a specific cause rather than being binned.?

Passwords - as above, but don’t forget things like Facebook, email accounts, hobbies websites etc.

And on a more helpful note, when my husband died the thing that was most useful of all was his email password and access to his phone, as with access to those anything that I didn't have the login details for could be easily be re-set and accessed for account details, contact details etc etc.

Other than that, writing down his preference for cremation or burial would have been useful. I had a copy of his will and knoew who the solicitor was, but if I hadn't that would have helped. Access to his phone / email / facebook account gave contact details for friends that should be informed that I might not have had details for.

Contact details of friends who would like to know of your erm, demise. I don't have any family (although I do have a non-resident boyfriend) - he would have absolutely no idea how to contact people I've known for years who he has never met.
Facebook password in case you want that archiving.
Online passwords for things like utility accounts, insurance.
Passwords and account numbers for everything you pay for online - e.g. RAC insurance, subscriptions etc. I once got chatting to an older man on a train who told me it took him almost a year to cancel breakdown cover after his wife died because he had no details.

Interesting thread. Been on my mind for a while to do this. When MIL died we couldn't find her will which caused a few issues.

My mum and dad made it clear where their wills were and also had a list of who they wanted to have certain paintings and ornaments.

I just want to do a comprehensive list of what bank accounts and policies we have as most of this stuff is done online so no papers for dcs to refer to.

My Dad neatly rewrote all his passwords for me in a password book that he told me where it was when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Wills and general paper work was all kept in one place and we had also already discussed that he wasn't having a funeral or any service or wake.

When he finally died it made everything so, so much easier. We were all upset but not having to give too much thought to all the death admin helped immensely. I know it wouldn't suit everyone but we are a pragmatic family. It's so much easier having dealt with all the practicalities well before he died as it meant we didn't have to worry about anything and could just focus on my Dad.

Sorry, DD is 6

I also think giving some guidance on whether you want a funeral etc would be useful. We only had that conversation with my dad when he was terminally ill in hospital which was awful. It was not something my mum would have been willing to discuss so we just had to guess.

Please also put in your national insurance number.

There is a very good book called Last Orders which covers all this. It covers everything you could think of - passwords, location of will, what should be done with your FB account, funeral wishes, the lot.

Martin Lewis did a really interesting show about wills, power of attorney and financial impact of someone dying or losing their faculties so I highly recommend watching it back, it was this weeks show so should be available on itvx / savings player. Really worth watching, I am getting Power of Attorney sorted ASAP!

Also don't forget you can't bequeath your pension in a will so make sure your nomination form is done and up to date.

Passwords and PIN codes are the most important thing. If someone can log in to your email and bank account, and unlock your phone, they can pretty much do everything they need to do.

If you haven’t already - please put this stuff in a fireproof safe box. 1) so it’s safe from water/fire damage 2) in a fire at least you can open it later and find details of important stuff like insurance documents 3) it’s an obvious place to look for important things in the even if your demise.

I have vivid memories of emptying my dads study room contents all over the sitting room floor, in an attempt to find various documents and his will, because his filing system consisted of toss it in a shelf or throw it in a random
drawer and forget about it. Not at all helpful going through years of outdated paperwork trying to work out what was needed and what wasn’t.

OP I've got my will
Photos of various jewlery and who I want to have it. I've got a lot of jewellery.
Bank account numbers and passwords
Gas, electricity providers and reference numbers
Water provider and reference number
Premium bonds information
ISA information and passcodes
House insurance information
French bank account details and passcode.
All Information on my holiday home including utilities. Marie and tax information, and direct debit I formation and how to transfer money from English bank account to French account.
I've got 10 btl houses and I have a separate folder on each including when gas, electric certificates and EPC details are due for renewal. Basic Information on tenants and copies of contracts. Including email/phone numbers for tenants.
Mortgage details for btl that have a mortgage.
Brokers details

A decent photo of yourself you are happy with. Korean TV has told me all about Funeral Portraits and looking at Funeral announcements here (Ireland) I can see the value!

Probably passcode to get into my computer as all accounts passwords are saved in there. Google account password as all other passwords are saved within it. Bank details maybe. Funeral wishes. Life insurance details. I don't actually have any of this in a folder but when DH and I went on holiday leaving the kids with my parents we did leave the above info in case of a plane crash or similar.

@GingerRuby if you don't mind me asking - how old are you to be thinking of POA?