The Tyra Law Firm, LLC

Helping our neighbors plan for their family’s future and avoid painful issues.

  • The Tyra Law Firm, LLC
  • Neil W. Tyra, Esq.
  • Practice Areas
    • Estate Planning
      • Power of Attorney
      • Wills
      • Advanced Health Care Directives
      • HIPAA Authorizations
      • Trusts
    • Elder Law/ Medicaid Planning
    • Family Law
      • Prenuptial Agreements
      • Divorce
      • Marital Separation Agreements
      • Child Custody
      • Child Support
    • Personal Injury
      • Auto Accidents
      • Premises Liability
  • Testimonials
  • Videos
  • FAQs
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact
post

Dead Men Tell No Lies – Nor Where Everything is Located

December 19, 2013
NWT Owner/Admin

Joyce Wadler, a brilliant humorist who writes the “I Was Misinformed” column for the New York Times, recently penned an essay titled “The Sex Toys in the Attic” in which she suggests that in addition to designating someone to make medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated, we should also identify an “Eradicator” to come into our home after we die and remove all of the embarrassing items less they be found by unsuspecting family members clearing out your house after you are gone. Going through that process recently after my mother died – clearing out the house, not looking for sex toys – the point was driven home as we tried to piece together where her assets are located and who these treasures belong to. A little planning goes a long way to helping your family sort things out when you are no longer able to assist them.

  1. Your important end of life documents should be conveniently located in one spot and accessible to your designee. The power of attorney, health care directive, will, and trust documents should be safely stored, preferably outside your home, in a location known by your trusted individual. Putting all of these items in your safe deposit box in the bank does you absolutely no good if your trusted individual does not have access to that safe deposit box. Other alternatives include storing the documents with your attorney or in a commercial storage facility/company designed to hold such important documents.
  2. You should have a list of all of your accounts (bank, checking, investment, retirement, pension) stored along with your end of life documents. This highly sensitive information should include the financial institution name, your account numbers along with any information needed to access these accounts.
  3. A list of credit cards, debit cards, and debt obligations, along with their account numbers and access information, is also necessary to assist your designee in paying your final bills to close out your estate.
  4. In this modern, technology based world, a list of your online accounts, user identification, and passwords is also helpful to your designee in closing these accounts and managing the removal of your electronic footprint after you are gone.

The bottom line is you want your trusted individual to be able to easily execute your wishes in accordance with your end of life document. You do not want to place additional obstacles in their path to getting that done. And you don’t want them to stumble upon those embarrassing possessions in the back of the sock drawer either.

For more information regarding end of life planning, wills, trusts, estates and elder law contact The Tyra Law Firm at (301)315-0811 to make an appointment.

Share this...
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin

Filed Under: Elder Law, Trusts & Estates, Wills

Share Your Thoughts

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

  • Your Adult Child’s Estate Plan: Why It’s Important?
  • What If You Fail to Name a Beneficiary?
  • Marital Separation and Estate Planning – Avoiding the Elective Marital Share Problem
  • Update Beneficiary Designations to Avoid a Disaster
  • Pet Trust: Will the Dog Inherit More Than Me?

Social Media Links

  • Facebook
  • linked in
  • twitter
  • (301) 315-0811
    neiltyra@tyralawfirm.com

Quick Links

  • The Tyra Law Firm, LLC
  • Rockville Estate Planning Attorney • About Us
  • Practice Areas
  • Testimonials
  • Estate Planning FAQs
  • Blog
  • Contact

Other Pages

  • Free Resource
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Contact Details

199 East Montgomery Ave.
Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (301) 315-0811
E-mail: neiltyra@tyralawfirm.com
    Get Social:
  • Facebook
  • linked in
  • twitter
Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters, and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Click here for full disclaimer.
Created by The Tyra Law Firm, LLC
© 2023, The Tyra Law Firm, LLC