Find and secure the will, other important documents, and assets

The documents a deceased family member leaves behind are crucial to completing end of life tasks smoothly. Below is a list of documents you’ll need to secure, and some tips on where to find them.

1) Look for the most important, urgent documents first:

  • The Will and/or Trust(s). If the deceased did not have a will, you will follow this process.

  • Letters of Instruction/Final Instructions/Disposition Authorization. This differs from a will in that it is not a legal document, but rather, a personal letter, usually to a family member, directing them to where important papers are located.

  • Advance Directive/Living Will/Designated Agent/Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.

  • Pre-paid funeral contracts.

  • Organ/tissue donation record.

  • Names and contact information of close family and friends.

  • Names and contact information of lawyers, accountants, doctors, etc.

  • Other, less urgent, but helpful documents

2) If you do not know where they are, check:

  • Filing cabinets

  • Safety deposit box

    1. Look around for a safe deposit box key

    2. If you can’t find it, contact the banks the deceased did business with and ask if they had a box. You may have to file a petition with a probate court for an order to open the box.

  • If the deceased used an attorney, accountant, financial manager, or tax preparation firm, they should have a copy of the estate planning documents.

  • Search for form names and PDFs on their computer, if you have access.

  • Ask close family and friends where the deceased stored important documents.

  • Check the surrogate or probate courts where the deceased lived or has lived before to see if a will was filed for safekeeping.

  • Get a credit report (and, in the process, freeze your loved one’s credit to prevent identity theft).

  • Identify assets on last two year’s tax returns

  • Check with HR at the deceased's place of employment. They may have insurance and tax documents.

  • If the deceased was a veteran, get their discharge documents by calling 314-801-0800, the National Personnel Records Center for military service records requests.

  • Check your state’s unclaimed property department.

  • Reach out to the companies your loved one did business with (insurance companies, financial institutions). If you don’t know the name of the financial institution, you can:

    1. Check to see if you can find login info for relevant companies and then search online.

    2. Look for proof of payment to relevant companies (e.g., life insurance companies, utilities) on bank and credit card accounts.

    3. Companies (e.g., banks, life insurance companies) that do business where you live.

3) If you cannot find all of your loved one’s accounts and interests with these methods, you may want to get a professional asset search.

Here are the types of assets a professional asset search can locate:

  • Financial accounts (bank, investment, and retirement accounts)

  • Life insurance policies and annuity contracts

  • Personal/family trusts

  • Real property and tangible assets (Cars, boats, etc.)

  • Business holdings

If you are interested in conducting an asset search, email hello@peacefully.com

finance, finding documents, legal, things to do immediately, settling affairsJennifer Goodprobate, finance, finding documents & accounts, financial and property, medical and legalComment