- Create a loud colored binder for every member of the family
- Place each binder on an accessible shelf
- Use when needed.
Crisis Mode: Loud Colored Binder
Look for my yellow binder…it is near my bed“
or
My social security card is in my orange binder“
In other words, I believe folks need an identifiable spot that keeps our most important documents.
Crisis Mode: Binder for Every Family Member
In all honesty, I am being picky. But, as people (young and old), everybody has a different plan. Even when our plan is the same as our spouse, the plan is still unique to us as a person.
For this reason, I like the idea of maintaining a file for each person. This might include:
[one-half-first]
- Birth Certificate
- Social Security Card
- Marriage Certificate
- Health Care Directive
- Power of Attorney
- Will [/one-half-first]
[one-half]
- Standby Guardian Authorization
- Beneficiary Forms
- Trust Documents
- Veterans Forms
- Divorce Decree
- Funeral Directive [/one-half]
Again, everybody’s binder will be different. The whole idea of having an organized spot for each family member is this: when a crisis hits, nobody wants to drag around documents that do not pertain to our loved one.
Crisis Mode: Use When Needed
Unfortunately, I am speaking from personal experience. When something goes wrong or a person is unexpectedly in the hospital, it is difficult to think clearly. Even worse, a lot of family members fail at finding a specific document without tearing apart a home.
In my experience, this can be avoided by talking and planning. Thus, I like the idea of having a binder that is accessible when needed and organized accordingly.
