Finding Key Information and Documents After Death

After a person dies, the survivors often face the daunting task of locating important information and documents.  Few people, however, are sufficiently organized to have this information gathered in one place which is easy to locate.  Instead, survivors have to rummage through the decedent’s belongings and incoming mail to locate the information or clues to assist them in finding it.

In Help Your Survivors, USA Weekend, Sept. 16-18, 2005, at 4, Sharon Epperson lists key documents to which survivors will need access such as burial instructions, burial plot deed, marriage certificate, insurance policies, list of assets and liabilities (including account numbers), location of safe deposit box, and retirement plan information.