Information Clients Should Leave Heirs

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article entitled Read This Before You Die as a follow up article to The 25 Documents You Need Before You Die. According to the new article, clients should inform a trusted individual of the location of any end-of-life instructions and documents containing passwords, usernames, and other access information to bank accounts and on-line sites.

Clients should also consider giving heirs instructions regarding digital assets (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, blogs). Additionally, clients should leave behind information on any copyrights, trademarks, or patents in their name, and veterans should leave behind a DD Form 214. Lastly, clients need to remember to give their heirs access to safe-deposit boxes, combinations and keys to any storage closets, documents detailing asset acquisition, and documents pertaining to their children (i.e. adoption certificates, birth certificates).

See Saabira Chaudhuri, Read This Before You Die, The Wall Street Journal, Jul. 7, 2011.