Have a binder with all your documents and make sure the wife/husband etc. knows where it is. Inside the following is suggested (by bad experiences many have gone through in the military after a spouse died). I suggest the following be kept in the binder and a copy sent to a relative or safety deposit box:
- Will (A complete one not the cheap ones)
- What to do with your body--cremation, where buried etc.
- What kind of funeral, coffin etc. you would like as well as who should be invited--even write the obit if you want to spare the surviving family of this task. Honor guard?
- All insurance policies
- DNR order or living will or whatever you/they prefer
- List of all assets/ bank accounts etc. (They get shut down if they're joint accounts when you die so the spouse won't be able to get at the money and they need.
- List of all credit cards (so spouse can delete the dead spouse and maybe keep the credit they have attained).
- Marriage and birth certificates
- Cash on hand if available/possible (Credit gets shut down on joint accounts within a few days)
- List of doctors, dentist etc. incase they need to help ID the body with xrays etc.
- Other insurance contracts like those extras that come with a house mortage, car, credit card etc..
- House deed or any other paperwork that may need to be changed
- Retirement certificates or any other forms (Vets need DD Form 214) discharge certificates
- Power of attorney to conduct affairs incase of a coma or other problem that would keep you from signing documents--military may be MIA or world trade center victims vaporized or lost at sea etc..
- DNA samples such as hair and fingernails
- Any other instructions you want carried out or even a CD or video of you giving your instructions
- Numbers and addresses of VA and Social Security adminstrations to call on benefits--even if still young
I probably missed something but this should get you started!
This is what I meant in the above comment on having a complete will !