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?

We've just completed new wills, a trust and poa.

The Solicitor recommended everyone over 18 should set up PoA for both finances and health/welfare.

I'm not sure it's correct that other people need to be aware of your passwords to access bank accounts - my understanding is that upon someone's death these are frozen and will be accessed by executors after deed of probate has been agreed .

I suppose if they are joint accounts both partners need to be able to access .

Following

Has anyone mentioned stocks and shares?
Also, at least for the much older generation who don't do social media (eg. my MIL,) a copy of their Christmas card list and address book so you can tell friends that they still keep in touch with that they have died. MIL was so upset when she sent a birthday card to her oldest friend, to have it returned with a note to say the lady had died 6 months before.

Reminder to cancel my Amazon subscribe and save standing orders

Thanks, I’ll take a look at that one.

That's a good idea. I've been thinking about POA lately so collating that sort of info to go with it sounds sensible.

Age U.K. have a free download called 'life book'. You fill it in with all of the details and leave it somewhere for after you die. It's very detailed and has things in I wouldn't have thought of.

When my mum died suddenly and I had to arrange everything, here's all the stuff I wish I had!

1. List of reoccurring direct debits leaving her account (with names of companies)
2. Passcode for her phone
3. Apple ID
4. Gmail/email login
5. Bank account numbers
6. Life insurance policy details
7. Info on where things like passport etc were kept

Some of the above might seem like intrusive information you'd not like another person to have in the event of your death but you'd be surprised at how stupidly disorganised some companies are. For example one company cancelled my mum's account but sent the cancellation email to her email address (which had to be verified) and they absolutely wouldn't send it to my email address.

When I was ready, I also wasn't able to wipe her phone and pass it on to someone else as I didn't have the passcode. All little strange things like that!

Funeral directions are just that, directions. A family can choose not to follow them, even with a funeral plan. You need to put it in your will that you want the funeral plan followed exactly as it's written down.

I was coming here to say this. Here's the link:

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

I did not know that and am already setting it up. Thank you 🤩

That's illegal, on the bank account point at least. You can't just log into a dead person's bank account as if you were them, you have to go through the correct processes.

Based on a lot of threads on this site, a lengthy list of the CF's that you are leaving absolutely not a sou to, and why?

You should include a list of the bank accounts and numbers you hold but NOT the PINs or passwords - they should never be written down. Imagine if this list was stolen / found and your accounts were accessed - you could lose everything and the bank would not reimburse you as you have broken your 'contract' with them by sharing your passwords. After death the bank need notifying only.

Also if you do POA, please do it yourself via GOV.uk, no need to pay a solicitor/ practitioner a big fee as long as you are ok filling out forms.

It is handy though to be able to access the account, to be able to print off a last statement, so you have physical proof of the accounts details. I found some banks were really bad to deal with online accounts, and needed a physical proof of the account for them and for solicitors and financial advisor. The passwords were absolutely vital to get this info. It wasn’t about transferring monies, it was about proving the account was there and what it contained on date of death.

A bit of a biography, to help whoever is writing the funeral obituary.

We've had POAs since our mid 40s.
The problem these days is that a lot of things (car insurance for example) are all on line so my children wouldn't even know what we have. We have a file & I've printed out confirmation of car & house insurance & other on line accounts - not passwords, these aren't needed but they would need to know who the accounts were with & policy numbers.

I'm amazed no one has developed a digital death folder.

Password protected?! 😂