Your estate planning binder should contain the originals of all your estate planning documents, but that is not everything that is needed for someone to help you in a time of crisis. Your agent under your medical power of attorney should have the following information, which can easily be kept in your estate planning binder with your medical power of attorney:
- The name and contact information of your primary care physician
- Your pharmacy’s contact information
- A copy of your current medical insurance card
- Login information for your pharmacy and medical insurance
- Contact information for other important medical providers
- A list of your allergies
Along with your medical power of attorney, you may have an agent for making funeral decisions. If not, your closest family members will be able to make those decisions for you (spouse has priority; children have next priority). Your family needs to know your desires and putting the following information in your estate planning binder is easy way to record your thoughts:
- Any pre-planning you have done for your funeral and burial
- Any instructions you have for conducting your funeral
- Any contracts you have for a funeral plot or niche
- If there is no contract, the desired manner of your disposal
- Your veterans discharge information, Form DD214, if you intend to be buried in a military cemetery
In our next blog post, we will address the financial information that your agent or executor may need.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, specific tax, legal or accounting advice. We can only give specific advice upon consulting directly with you and reviewing your exact situation.
