Why I Created an Important Documents Binder, & Why You Should Too!

Today I am going to talk about a sensitive topic. I am not one to be a negative Nellie or pragmatic, but I am a realist. I have seen so many people making tough decisions because the unthinkable happens. A stolen identity. A house that has burned down or some other natural disaster hitting and taking everything. A health condition that has taken a terrible turn. Loved ones leaving this world at such a young age and so unexpectedly. So why am I bringing this up? With so many of these things happening to those I am close to, I decided to take a proactive approach. I created an important document binder.

This binder includes the following:

• Birth Certificates for every member of my family.
• Social Security Cards for every member of my family.
• Titles to all important assets (automobiles/equipment).
• Important phone numbers (credit cards, banks, investment/financial management companies etc) and passwords.
• Life Insurance, Auto Insurance, Health Insurance, Homeowners or Renters Insurance Information.
• Advanced Health Directive/Living Will/Power of Attorney paperwork/Will.
• I even have my funeral arrangements laid out for the most part and included in this binder. This way if the unthinkable happens, there’s less for my family to have to work through. Speaking from experience it is difficult for a grieving family to have to work through all the details of planning, when they’re emotional. If there are a number of people trying to arrange and they disagree it can cause strained relationships. I want my family to know that they don’t have to work through all these details, but rather can focus on comforting each other in my absence.

All of this information is kept in one binder in a safe and secure place, and I encourage everyone to do the same.  This may seem to bring about doom and gloom, but trust me: once you have these documents prepared and all in one place, you’ll have an increased sense of security. I hope you found this information useful!

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