Several years ago, Gerald died in an automobile accident. Gerald had a gift for organization. His wife, Sue, did not. Gerald tracked every penny he received by its source. He also listed every expenditure he made, down to the smallest item.

Gerald tried to keep his wife informed. She simply was not interested.

With the suddenness of Gerald's passing, Sue had no idea what to do. Gerald never threw out anything. His notes and ledgers were incomprehensible to everyone. Sue knew where they banked, but knew little of their investments.

It took nearly a year to complete administration of Gerald's estate because assets, mostly stocks, kept being found. After the estate was closed, it was reopened 3 or 4 times. Dividend checks would arrive and the new stock would have to be transferred.

It was a very stressful time for Sue.

Here is what you should do to organize your affairs:

Get a filing cabinet drawer and make six folders for it:

Folder 1: Original will, trust, power of attorney, prenuptial agreements and living will. Also include letters of instruction for anything which you want done in particular.

Folder 2: Deeds, including cemetery deeds and timeshare deeds, mortgages and notes, car titles and boat titles.

Folder 3: List of bank accounts, investment accounts, stock statements, stock certificates and safe deposit keys.

Folder 4: Life insurance, annuities, pension and retirement information.

Folder 5: Birth certificates, marriage license and divorce papers.

Folder 6: Information about businesses owned, list of attorney, accountants, insurance advisors and investment advisors.

Need help organizing your estate plan? We offer estate planning with over twenty years of experience. Contact Bill Bonham at the law firm of Mularski, Bonham, Dittmer, & Phillips, LLC at (614) 478-8020 to arrange for a free consultation!