HOW TO USE THIS WEBSITE
When you click on the Family Resource Guide, you will find educational material on the topics needed to organize your personal information, which are separated into sections.
Please note that at the end of each section there is a link to the data pages that match that section, which are used to record your personal information. These data pages are also available in the Resources section. These can be downloaded and printed for your use.
For information on property that you own.
In most states, the landlord must receive a written notice 30 days prior to vacating a rental unit. Before giving this notice, consider that it may take the executor/trustee longer than 30 days to facilitate this process, and it is wise to work closely with the landlord.
List several close neighbors who would be available to help you and your family in an emergency.
This should be someone who would be willing to serve as a clearing-house for your family in case of a natural disaster. For example, when there is an earthquake, it is sometimes possible to place calls to out of state locations, but no in-coming calls get through. Members of the family who are separated can call the out of state contact and learn the location and status of the rest of the family. Most schools have this information in their students’ files.
It is important to know exactly who has keys to your home. It is suggested that the estate administrator immediately change the locks on all doors when someone passes away. Only he/she and those authorized should have access to the property as he/she has a fiduciary responsibility to protect the property and contents, until time of distribution.
This is an important tool when contacting extended family and friends. Take the time now to put a colored dot (with a red pen or pencil) along side those listings of people you would want notified at the time of your death. This will be a blessing to the person having to make these calls! THIS APPLIES ALSO TO CONTACTS IN YOUR PHONE OR COMPUTER!
List the day of the week that the garbage is picked up. Also include instructions if it needs to be taken to the curb the evening before, special recycling instructions, etc.
Do you have someone who routinely comes to your home such as a housekeeper? List the name, telephone number and the date and time of these routine appointments.
Someone needs know how to access your electronic equipment, as well as the voice mail on your business lines, home phones and cell phones. A friend was called to the East Coast to help her father with his business, when he became ill. She was unable to answer his business calls or change the outgoing message until he recovered sufficiently to tell her the user names and passwords required.
Create a list of user names and passwords. One option is to have these on your computer in a password protected document. Share that password only with those who would have a “need to know.” Another option is an app like 1Password that requires only one password to access your list.
Many of us have off-site storage for personal “stuff” or archived business records. This rented real estate has special access codes and access times. Some facilities do not send a monthly bill, but expect a monthly payment. If no payment is made within a certain period of time, the owner is notified and eventually the contents may be sold at auction. From a professional organizer's viewpoint, I encourage you to seriously evaluate the use of storage units. Are the things you are storing of sufficient value to justify the overall long term costs of storing them?
Record those magazines, newspapers, etc. that your family will need to cancel. Some of my clients have chosen to notify the publication and redirect the mailing address to a hospital waiting room or other non-profit until the subscription expires.
There is a great difference in the way companies will transfer earned frequent flier mileage/points to an heir upon death. Their requirements of substantiating paperwork differ, but all will require proof of death and entitlement to inherit. Some even divide mileage between all heirs or beneficiaries listed in the will/trust. You might consider this issue when drawing up your will/trust. Include any programs which include mileage/points as part of their inheritance.