LUTZ BUSINESS INSIGHTS
are you prepared? financial access checklist for spouses
joe donovan, tax shareholder
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.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JOE DONOVAN + TAX SHAREHOLDER
Joe Donovan is a Tax Shareholder at Lutz with over 10 years of experience in taxation. He primarily focuses his time on tax compliance, research, and consulting assistance to privately held companies in various industries, including real estate development and construction.
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Tax Consulting & Compliance
- Tax Research
- Real Estate Development Consulting
- Construction Industry
AFFILIATIONS AND CREDENTIALS
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Member
- Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants, Member
- Certified Public Accountant
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- BSBA in Accounting, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
- Masters in Science of Accountancy, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
- Housing Foundation of Sarpy County, Board Member
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