are you prepared? financial access checklist for spouses

Do you or your spouse handle most of your financial activities? If your spouse were not here today, would you know the passwords to your online accounts, how to pay your bills, be able to find the deed to your house, or access the contact information for your accountant? Below is a checklist of information that should be shared with your spouse to assure you each have access to manage important financial tasks independently.

Trusted Advisors + Contact Information

• Accountant
• Lawyer
• Financial Advisor
• Insurance Agent

Insurance Policies

• Life Insurance
• Health Insurance
• Car Insurance
• Home Insurance
• Other Insurance Policies (Theft, Fire, Earthquake, Umbrella, Etc.)
• Login Credentials

Bank Accounts

• Checking Account(s)
• Savings Account(s)
• Money Market Account(s)
• Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
• Safe-Deposit (Box Number, Keys, & Location)
• Credit + Debit Cards
  • Card Number(s)
  • Expiration Date(s)
  • Recent Account Statements
  • Login Credentials

Proof Of Identity and Relationships

• Social Security Card
• Armed Forces Discharge Papers
• Birth certificate
• Death Certificate
• Marriage Certificate(s)
• Divorce Certificate(s)
• Prenuptial Agreement(s)
• Divorce Settlement(s)

Mortgages + Loans

• Bank/Credit Union Information
• Agreement(s)
• Login Credentials

Titles + Deeds to Any Property

• Real Estate
• Motor Vehicles
• Boats
• Airplanes

Tax Returns

• Last 3 Years of Tax Returns
• Most recent W-2 forms
• Gift Tax Returns

Pension Plans + Retirement Benefit Information

• 401(k) or 403(b) Plans
• IRAs
• Roth IRAs
• Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Plan
• Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension (SARSEP) Plan
• Login Credentials

Investment Portfolios + Brokerage Accounts

• Stocks
• Bonds
• Mutual Funds
• Brokerage Accounts
• Login Credentials

Will

• Copy of the Will
• Copies of Previous Versions of Will
• Name of Attorney/Law Firm That Helped Create Will (If Applicable)

Trusts

• Declarations of Trust/Trust Agreements
• Name of Attorney/Law Firm That Helped Create Trust (If Applicable)
• Bank accounts associated with the Trust

Power Of Attorney

• Name of Person Appointed to Power of Attorney
• Power Of Attorney Documentation
• Name of Attorney/Law Firm That Helped Create POA (If Applicable)

Household Utilities

• Electricity
• Gas
• Water
• Trash
• Phone
• Cable
• Internet
• Login Credentials

Email + Social Media Account(s)

• Address(es)/Password(s)

Recurring Payments/Subscriptions

• Online Shopping (Ex. Amazon)
• Streaming Services (Ex. Hulu, Spotify)
• Grocery (Ex. Costco, HelloFresh)
• Mobile (Ex. Cloud Storage, Apps)

In summary, it is important to make your partner aware of all financial aspects you manage to avoid any potential issues with gaining access to an account, locating important documents, or retrieving specific information. If you have any questions, contact us or learn more about our services.