January: Legal Documents Challenge

[JumpyTheFrog]

This thread is to motivate us to take care of important legal documents.

Here's my list:

• order extra copies of birth certificates and marriage license
• set up health care power of attorneys
• set up living wills
• apply for passports

[MEmama]

DS is turning 18 so we need to figure out all the legal changes we need to make. I don’t even know where to start yet. He’s our only, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. ???

[lauraw4321]

If you have minor children, add in a will just to name guardians for them. (I’m a lawyer, but not your lawyer. This isn’t legal advice). 

[Guest]

Cool thread! There are things I need to do! 

[JumpyTheFrog]

What would you do if your house burned down and with it your social security cards, birth certificates, etc? I want to encourage everyone to make photocopies of all important documents to keep in a safe deposit box. Scans on a thumb drive are also a good idea. If you ever lose something and need to request a new copy, having a photocopy may come in handy. For example, to request a birth certificate in my home state they prefer you include things like birth certificate number, probably to reduce the chances that someone is requesting a copy for identity theft purposes.

[hippymamato3]

1 hour ago, MEmama said:

DS is turning 18 so we need to figure out all the legal changes we need to make. I don’t even know where to start yet. He’s our only, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. ???

Depending on your relationship, you might want to get a power of attorney for him. Otherwise, you don't have to do much. 

[Excelsior! Academy]

3 hours ago, JumpyTheFrog said:

This thread is to motivate us to take care of important legal documents.

Here's my list:

• order extra copies of birth certificates and marriage license
• set up health care power of attorneys
• set up living wills
• apply for passports

Great thread!!

3 minutes ago, Patty Joanna said:

I had a list to work from that was super helpful.  This link is NOT it but I can't find the one I had anymore.  https://www.fdic.gov/news/events/affordable/hcachecklist.pdf

Having a list boundaried the task which made it do-able for me.  

Great list!  Thanks!!

[Excelsior! Academy]

I'm in!  Dh and I are doing our end of year/beginning of year budget this evening.  I will try to update my list this week.  January is usually the month with the fewest obligations and its a great time to get paperwork in order.  Thank you for the reminder. 🙂

[JumpyTheFrog]

1 hour ago, Patty Joanna said:

I had a list to work from that was super helpful.  This link is NOT it but I can't find the one I had anymore.  https://www.fdic.gov/news/events/affordable/hcachecklist.pdf

Great checklist.

 

1 hour ago, Seasider too said:

You can scan things and email them to yourself, that way they are stored on a server that can be accessed anywhere.

However, it’s advisable to store actual certified copies in an offsite location. For legal/emergency decision making on behalf of a loved one, especially where financial investments and insurance are concerned, an actual certified copy of a POA document is sometimes required. One copy in a safety deposit box is great, but banks aren’t open nights and weekends when a family member might need to access it. Be sure your POA person(s) have access to officially certified hard copy documents. The executor of your will also needs a certified copy. 

Good points about what needs to be easily accessible.

How do you get a certified copy of a will? We used software to make our wills.

[Jenny in Florida]

Interestingly, my husband and I had what started as a casual conversation about financial planning just yesterday. As things usually do with him, it led to a spreadsheet and to do list.

* Renew my passport

* Make a will

* Verify balances on some accounts/Set up online access

* Organize paperwork in the safe

[historically accurate]

Oooh, thanks for this thread. I was planning to do this during my isolation time after taking DD18 back to college. Our paperwork is in the room I'll be hanging out in, so I plan on organizing it. We have most of it, but if I died, DH would be lost. 

[hippymamato3]

49 minutes ago, Choirfarm3 said:

Well... Make sure they have health insurance cards and info. That reminds me I gave my daughter mine and never ordered a new one for me. Also, for doctors and dentists you will need to have them fill out forms so that you can see and pay the bills! Might need to do those with colleges as well.

I assumed they already had health insurance cards. As far as seeing the (itemized) bills, probably not necessary - but paying them probably is. lol

[mlktwins]

Deleted 😊

Edited December 28, 2020 by mlktwins

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, hippymamato3 said:

I assumed they already had health insurance cards. As far as seeing the (itemized) bills, probably not necessary - but paying them probably is. lol

 

1 hour ago, Choirfarm3 said:

Yeah, my first kid didn't think about it until he was at a college health office.  OOPS.  So I never assume. My husband and I only had them. 

DS has carried his health card with him since he turned 16 and started driving. Next year he will probably be living overseas so he'll just get used to a new system.

I'm pretty sure in our state all our assets automatically go directly to him should we both die. Currently the executor (I think we have until age 21 in our will) is FIL, but the past several years have shown us he can’t be trusted so we do need to rethink that. I wouldn’t want to burden DS with figuring everything out on his own, particularly while he is in university, and living in another country. Ugh. 

[Ottakee]

This is a timely topic.  I am starting to make a document for my brother with passwords, log ins, account numbers, names of insurance companies, policies, etc.

Then I will photocopy all documents for him.   And let him know which plots we have at the cemetery, etc.

[JumpyTheFrog]

I have wanted to do living wills and health care POAs for years. Unfortunately, in my state they need to be witnessed by two different people in front of a notary. I've never managed to figure out how to get two friends to go to the bank with me to be witnesses. (Interestingly, wills need two witnesses, but no notary, so it was easier to get wills done.)

If we go to a lawyer to redo our wills, can we have someone in their office serve as witnesses for living wills and health care POAs? Or is there an expectation that someone who will remember you does it?

[Anne]

I’m sure this kind of thing differs from state to state, but I would be shocked if your lawyer’s office was unable to facilitate that for you!

Anne

[Selkie]

2 hours ago, JumpyTheFrog said:

I have wanted to do living wills and health care POAs for years. Unfortunately, in my state they need to be witnessed by two different people in front of a notary. I've never managed to figure out how to get two friends to go to the bank with me to be witnesses. (Interestingly, wills need two witnesses, but no notary, so it was easier to get wills done.)

If we go to a lawyer to redo our wills, can we have someone in their office serve as witnesses for living wills and health care POAs? Or is there an expectation that someone who will remember you does it?

I'm not sure if this is allowed in your state, but we've used an online notary service a few times and it was very convenient. It's so much easier to get things notarized from home than to have to go to the bank, lawyer's office, etc.