When something happens to you, where do they start?

On a sunny spring morning, my husband and I relaxed on a train crossing France, enjoying the scenery, our books, and cappuccinos. After 10 days of vacation, we were still, serene, and looking forward to time with family.

At the same time, at our route’s end, my daughter was increasingly concerned about our whereabouts and arrival. To my (later) chagrin, I had forgotten to forward our itinerary…

Routinely, but sadly, the news reports of residential emergencies—a fire in a family home, regional fires destroying dozens of homes, tremendous storms and flooding. Some of you reading this have experienced home disasters firsthand, living through a frantic evacuation, severe loss of home and personal items, and the uphill climb of rebuilding. All this can…

How will they access my bank and brokerage accounts?



When you die, or if you are incapacitated, your loved ones will need to access your financial accounts. In the case of your incapacitation, someone will manage your finances, including paying bills, depositing any checks, managing necessary financial transactions (e.g., purchases, deposits, sales,…

How will your loved ones track those “invisible” bill-pay charges?



Over time, I have set up automatic payment for several of my bills:



• My monthly mortgage bill is paid by a recurring, automatic charge (direct debit) to my checking account. Two insurance premiums are paid the same way.



• Other bills are automatically charged to my major credit card:…

How will getting organized now benefit you over time, time after time?

When my mother died, I was awash in questions, grief, tasks, decisions—and all of that layered on top of my already-busy life far from Mom’s home. I decided then that I will not put my loved ones through the same ordeal when I die. I went home and…

If something happens to you, who watches over your health care, finances and other important matters?



No matter your life circumstances—whether you’re young and raising a family, or elderly and caring for yourself—you have plenty of responsibilities. For example, you make decisions about your health care (selecting doctors, choosing treatments) and handle financial…

If something happens to you, what should—and shouldn’t—you have stored there?

You can rent a safe deposit box at your bank for storing just about anything you want. There are no federal laws, and few state laws, governing the content of safe deposit boxes. Your bank’s contract with you is the best source for identifying any content restrictions.



Who has access to your box—and when?

Access to the box is controlled by you. You can be the sole…