Your family needs to have a master financial information document. In case of disaster, death in the family, fire, or any other unexpected emergency where one of more spouses are unable to make decisions, you need to have all your financial information in one spot. Make it easy for family members to step in and help your family make it through a difficult time.
A master financial information document lists all the important financial information in one place. Since I already had a filing system in place, I needed about an hour to pull our financial information together. Each year I spend about 15 minutes updating the document. At the same time, I change the passwords on our account, an easy way to remember to do this important task.
Where to Store Your Master Financial Document
When you’ve finished creating your master financial information document, review it with your spouse. Discuss where you will be storing copies of the document. Besides having a paper and electronic copy in a fire proof safe, choose 1 or 2 trusted family members who can keep a copy of document in a sealed envelope in their safe storage place.
You can place a copy of the document in your safety deposit box. You can also place copies of your medical care instructions, burial preferences or original Power of Attorney documents. Never put originals in the safety deposit box.
What to Include on a Master Financial Information Document
- Social Security Numbers for all family members
- Drivers License Numbers for all drivers
- Vehicle Identification Numbers for all vehicles
- Information about Your Will
- Lawyer’s Name and Contact Information
- Location of copies of Will
- Date of Last Update for the Will
- Executors on Will
- Information about your funeral
- Bank Information
- Account numbers
- Who is listed on the account(s)
- Contact numbers
- Website Access Information
- Medical Insurance
- Dental
- Plan numbers
- Who is listed on the account(s)
- Contact numbers
- Website Access Information
- Regular
- Plan ID
- Who is listed on the account(s)
- Contact numbers
- Website Access Information
- Additional Insurance
- Account numbers
- Who is listed on the account(s)
- Contact numbers
- Website Access Information
- Dental
- Insurance Information
- Policy numbers
- Beneficiaries
- Contact numbers
- Website Access Information
- Include information about workplace disability insurance
- Mortgage/Home Equity Loan Information
- Company’s name and contact information
- Account Information
- Website Access Information
- Investment Information – Savings, Retirement, Mutual Funds
- Website Access Information
- Contact numbers
- Account numbers
- Loans – Vehicle, Personal, College
- Company’s Name and Contact Information
- Account Information
- Website Access Information
- Credit Card Information
- Company’s Name and Contact Information
- Account Numbers
- Website Access Information
- Education Investments
- Company’s Name and Contact Information
- Account Information
- Website Access Information
- Utilities
- Company’s Name and Contact Information
- Account Information
- Website Access Information
What to Do with the Master Financial Information Document
Keep a copy in a safe secured place. If you put a copy in a safety deposit box, make sure you have at least one other copy elsewhere. A family member may not be able to get into the safety deposit box in the event of your death.
- Safety Deposit Box
- In an envelope at a trusted family member’s home – find out where they will keep it
- Fire proof Safe in your home
- Secured cloud access – this depends on your level of comfort
Free Printable: Master Financial Information Document
Get a Copy of the Master Financial Information Document You Can Personalize
Update the master financial information document yearly and redistribute to your safe storage locations.
Find more financial tips and organizing tips on my Emergency Preparation Board.
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What If the Unexpected Happened?: How to Prepare a Personal Financial Inventory
We so need to do this! Great reminder and very comprehensive list Barb.
Jennifer O recently posted..Baker’s Passport Review and Giveaway
Thank you!
What a helpful resource this is! Thank you so much for sharing this.
Love this, Barb! Will save and start working on ours!
Great advice! You should totally make a printable/template of this to share!
Kelly recently posted..DIY Date Night Invitation
Great idea! I’ll pull one together.
I have something similar to this, but I really need to update it. MIL has a copy and vice versa(we have copy of theirs). Thanks for the great information, and the reminder.
Jennifer @Making Our Life Matter recently posted..Winter Is Not A Wonderland
Wonderful! I’m updating mine; I like to do it in January.
This is so detailed! Do you have a download or printable for this? I really need to make one of these!
Carrie @ Chockababy recently posted..10 Snow Day Necessities for Moms
I having been meaning to do this for the last couple of years. I have most of our documents in a binder for each year so it would be fairly simple for our relatives to find the needed information but I need to make it even easier for them (and myself!). Thanks for sharing via Family Fun Friday.
Stephanie Kay recently posted..Math and Science Fun :: Family Fun Friday
Thank you, and yes, it’s much easier for everyone. It’s like a cheat sheet!
This is such a good idea – I am sorry to say I haven’t collected all this information in one place yet. Thanks for sharing at Family Fun Friday.
Sarah Mueller recently posted..3 Things I Learned From Tracking My Habits
PS – I’m featuring your post at Family Fun Friday this week. Thanks for linking up!
Sarah Mueller recently posted..Guidelines for Appropriate Chores (and am I asking too much of my child)?
Wow I really need this. I always feel like I’m so disorganized when it comes to that kind of stuff.
Julia recently posted..6 Soups to Make with an Immersion Blender
I didn’t write this down, but this is actually now on to my to do list: to organize my family finances better. Discussions with hubby have led us to believe we could do better, and I just happened upon a book about faithfully stewarding finances that I picked up. This printable is so helpful!
Wow this is like the ultimate check list. Thank you!
Wow, this is great. I definitely need to get organized and do this.
I love this idea! I need to fill one of these out for us!
Christina @ It Is a Keeper recently posted..Raspberry Lime Detox Green Tea with Bigelow Tea
This is so handy to have. Reminds me- have to update our wills.
Heather D. (@GirlGoneMom) recently posted..Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
This is a great post! I really need to do something like this, because I can’t always remember things. Thanks for the motivation and the reminder!
Jennifer at Making Our Life Matter recently posted..Blueberry Pastries
No one ever wants to have to think about worst case scenarios but if you take a few minutes to prepare it makes the job so much easier in the long run. Great tips Barb!
http://www.nepamom.com/grocery-shopping-list-template/
We really need to do this! Thank you! Pinning so we can work on it soon!
What a fabulous list! We just wrote our will and were saying we needed to write a list of all the important financial stuff so other people could find it if the worst ever happened!
Clare recently posted..Is the Young Living diffuser the best essential oils diffuser to use?
In this age of technology with all the passwords and steps required to login in, I think it’s so important!
I think it is funny how you don’t see how organized and efficient you are. You have really gotten a great system down. Definitely printing this one.
Heather M recently posted..Leftovers Recipes: Roast Beef and Cheddar Pizza
Yes, I need to work on that. Maybe it’s because I see where I’m not organized like menu planning.
Such a great resource– great way to get those important documents organized and keep yourself up-to-date!
Mitzi recently posted..Cream Cheese Cookie Cups
Super valuable. Thanks for sharing at The Weekend Social.
KC the Kitchen Chopper recently posted..Red Lentil, Mushroom, Kale, Carrot, Red Wine Vinegar Soup Chopped
What a great post! Thanks for sharing it with us at the Home Matters Linky Party. I hope you will party with us again this Friday. #HomeMattersParty
~Bonnie
Bonnie recently posted..Pretty in Pink Thrift Store Lamp Makeover
Thank you, and yes, I’ll be there!
This is SOOOOOO helpful! We have been focusing on being more prepared this year and this is a huge help!
Jordyn @ Almost Supermom recently posted..2015 Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Slate
Wonderful! A friend of mine was the victim of a house fire in December. She left to go to the post office and came back to find her home burning down. It reminded me again of how important it is to be prepared.
Wowee Barb this is amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to create this!
shari lynne @ Faith Filled Food for Moms recently posted..50 Guaranteed Ways to Save Money This Year!
This is so important for everyone to have! Thanks for the free printable!
Steph recently posted..Bring More Joy Into Your Life
What some great ideas, and most of us could use some help in organizing this type of stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Robin recently posted..Help Your Children Get Along With Each Other
Have been trying to get this free printable for the past 30 mins, but the site won’t allow me to enter my email for daily posts. I enter all the info but when I hit submit, nothing happens.
This is a wonderful resource! My mom, a retired office manager, died this year and had a similar document incorporated in a personal letter. It was so incredibly helpful and reduced sibling friction to nil.
Ann Marie at Iris Abbey recently posted..A Circus Poster To Frame
This is a great time of year to do this since I am gathering up all of the tax stuff anyway.
Pinned!
Audrey recently posted..Quinoa Chocolate Cake
This is an excellent resource! And, it is something that I really need to accomplish this year. Thanks you so much for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai recently posted..Home Matters Linky Party #20