Emergency Binder - does this sound macabre? - Page 3

house_cat · ‎03-09-2010

Wow! I really wish I could give some of these responses more than one ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ !

Thank you, everyone!

I'm assuming you were not kidding about the hair clips, but I can't foresee the need for them - could you please elaborate? Thank you!

@roeroe1005

Not only good ideas, but a great sense of humor!

~ house cat ~

bikerbabe · ‎03-09-2010

Think about having an advanced directive to guide medical decisions in the event you are unable to speak for yourself what you want.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

I’ve had a “What to do When I’m Dead” notebook for years. Made my daughters prepare one as well.

SouthernBee · ‎09-16-2010

@house_cat: No- best gift for family. I purchased 2 large file folder cases. Labeled one for DH information. On front of case: taped a check list of what’s enclosed.Made one with my information. They are sitting on top of the file cabinets. No one has to search through 3 file cabinets. The cases have all the necessary information. We have all the necessary legal papers and funerals prepaid. We still need to write our obituary. Currently working on a list to include all our passwords and PIN numbers. I also have a bill pay book that includes all account numbers and details on bill due dates, balance and method of payments. Still trying to make sure that everything is taken care of. Prompted to do this four years ago when only brother given less than 3 months to live- he was not organized and no preplaning. I had a big mess to deal with and the only family member. Vowed that DH would not be left with a big mess. Still in process of purging house and more organized and trying to keep paper work organized and shredding anything not needed. Next- clean out the shed and get it organized.Southern Bee

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@house_cat wrote:
Wow! I really wish I could give some of these responses more than one ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ !

Thank you, everyone!

@Sooner

I'm assuming you were not kidding about the hair clips, but I can't foresee the need for them - could you please elaborate? Thank you!

@roeroe1005

Not only good ideas, but a great sense of humor!

@house_cat DNA will come into play in our health and medicine more and more every year. It could be very important in the not too distant future in identifying conditions we don't even know about now. I can certainly see where your parents' DNA might be important.

No I wasn't being facetious at all. I think everyone should have DNA samples certainly from parents. And another aspect, as all the DNA testing has told us, after they are dead you might find out one parent wasn't really a parent at all. . . which changes the DNA picture again.

KathyM23 · ‎11-20-2010

Everything of importance is in 2-drawer file cabinet in labeled folders.

I have what I call a "Letter of Instruction" listing insurance policies and investments with contact info, our attorney and financial planner and so on. This Letter (listing) is a roadmap of what DH and I have and what folder it is in and other pertinent info. For me, I find this system to be efficient rather than everything in a box or a book.

I keep all information current and up to date and purge filing cabinet regularly so everything is organized and streamlined.

File cabinet contains:

a listing of credit card and contact info

checking and savings accounts current statements

Deed, real estate tax info

birth certificate

marriage license

Will (copy) original filed at attorney's office

Living Will

Car titles, registration info

Medical and prescription info

Income Tax Reports

and so on, all relavent info, documents

Although the box/book would be handy if you have to leave suddenly. But the only reason I can think of would be fire and I would be more interested to getting me, DH and pets out. A family member outside of our house has a copy of the Letter so the information would still be available, but it would be a pain securing the documents such as birth certificates, etc.

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

@house_cat, no it's not creepy and your dh won't think so if you happen to pass before him.....I have all that info in our safe as well....

meallen616 · ‎01-10-2013

Popular book,

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

@house_cat wrote:
I'm putting together what I'm calling THE BIG RED EMERGENCY BINDER, to keep in my safe. I've long had the fear that something would happen to me, or my husband and me at the same time, and my sons would not know where to start looking for important information.

I'm including the usual things like birth certificates, SS cards, marriage certificate, house deed, life insurance policies. What other things should my binder include?

BTW, my husband never understands my need to be prepared for things ahead of time. He said "this whole binder business is creepy". Do you agree?

user names and passwords for your bank and other sites

facebook if you have to close it

we have a book that has all the passwords in it

and no that's not creepy, it's sensible, if your kids don't have access to that information if your and him are dead it's impossible and expensive

happycat · ‎09-18-2010

No, it sounds smart to me and being prepared.

Last time we were at my inlaws, they took us to a room, showed us a hidden compartment, said they weren't telling anyone else, but they wanted us to know in case anything happened to them.

They also gave dh very important family bible (to us, it would have no meaning to anyone else) and asked him to put in his safe in his fireproof box. Best Christmas present I have got ever and it wasn't even a Christmas present.

I have told my kids about our accounts, but I need write the info down for both of them. I think this is a very good thing you are doing, @house_cat.