You have probably heard the phrase “getting your affairs in order” tossed around, but what does it actually mean? In this article, we’ll take a look at documents and steps needed to do just that.
Begin with the Basics
Everyone’s “affairs” look different. Spouses, children, pets, income, property, etc. all play a role in determining which documents you need to gather. However, it is best if you begin with the basics.
Compile a document with the following information:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Residence
- Social security number
- Work history
- Educational records
- Names of spouse and/or children
- Medications
- An updated list of contacts (family members, doctor, lawyer, etc.)
- Final documents (such as your last will and testament)
After you type up your basic information, you will need to start gathering additional documents.
Gather these Valuable Documents
Not sure what documents you need to have in order? It is best to discuss this with your lawyer, but generally speaking, these are the documents you will need:
- Social Security Card
- Marriage License (if applicable)
- Property Deeds and Vehicle Titles
- Bank Account Statements
- Life Insurance Policy
- Insurance Information
- Most recent income tax return
- Mortgage Statement
- Living Will
- Last Will and Testament
Remember, not everyone’s information looks the same. If you have questions about your legal documents, call a legal expert. It is always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.
Simple Steps to Get Your Affairs in Order
Having all your data in one spot might seem daunting; therefore it must be taken step by step.
1. Start From The Top-Down Process
As the saying goes: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Work through one document at a time until everything on your checklist has been completed. This makes it feel manageable, plus helps keep track of things.
2. Consult Lawyer For Every Document
Consult a lawyer on each document to ensure you have not missed something critical.
3. Keep the Family in the Loop
Having your affairs in order is pointless when your family members don’t know about it.Inform them of how you store vital papers and who your legal representative is, along with other essential details. In many instances, people forget or keep their will hidden until their death so that it can’t be destroyed by an aggrieved relative. By registering your will online, no one knows where it is stored until they die. Only those whose names appear on the registry are allowed access. For Attorneys and the Public, this has become typical for them to register wills using some of these online registries.
4. Find a safe place for everything
It’s vital that you put all important documents somewhere safe. Some individuals prefer physical safes, while others may choose a desk or file cabinet or leave them with a trusted friend/relative or even with his/her attorney in some cases. Nowadays, most of them are saving information using data centers.
Established in 1997 to fill an important void. The U.S. Will Registry provides free will registration so that the original can be located later on if necessary. We offer families and intended beneficiaries solutions to locate lost wills and estate planning documents of decedents.”
The U.S. Will Registry Offers a Free Online Will Program
The U.S. Will Registry is an online platform that assists individuals and their families to effectively manage and organize their estate planning needs. Among the numerous services that this registry provides, one of them is freely creating a will. This means that everyone can have access to a basic but legally valid will despite their financial status.
Steps to Creating A Free Will:
- Go To The Site: Open the official website for The U.S. Will Registry.
- Register: Create an account by entering your personal details such as name, email address, and more.
- Enter the page where you create your Will:
Fill in Your Details: Fill out all necessary fields including:
- Personal information (name, address, etc.)
- Beneficiaries’ details (those who will get your assets)
- Naming executor (one who would handle your estate)
- Specific Bequests (gifts of money or property made specifically to somebody)
- Any other wish or direction requiring inclusion
- Review & Approve: Check carefully all entered information for correctness and make sure nothing important has been left out.
- Print Out & Download: After completing it, download and print out the will because without printing it cannot be legally acceptable.
- Sign & get witnesses: You should sign your testament while in the presence of two witnesses not being beneficiaries at all since they must also sign it to ratify it completely.
To Create a Free Will Online – CLICK HERE
Benefits Of Using The U.S. Will Registry
- Affordable: It costs is free when making a will through The U.S. Will Registry.
- Easy-To-navigate: This online instrument is designed in such a way that it is easy to navigate and takes you through all the steps.
- Peace of Mind: This gives an individual peace of mind since one knows that his/her last wishes are well documented and adhered to legally.
Free Registering Your Will with The US Will Registry
Why Register Your Will?
Many last wills never get honored and executed because they are lost. When you register your will, you help ensure that your family members know where you’ve kept it safe so they won’t be left searching for it after your death.
Steps to Register Your Will
- Create An Account: In case you haven’t signed up on The U.S. Will Registry website yet.
- Give Details of The Will: Indicate where your will is located (e.g. home or at a lawyer’s office or in a safe deposit box among other places).
- Provide Contact Information: For instance, contact details of either your attorney or executor should be included here.
- Confirmation: Once all the information has been entered, submit the registration. You will get an email confirming with a number and how to update it later on if need be.
Advantages Of Registering A Will
- Quick access: Helps locate your will sooner and easier whenever necessary.
- Confidentiality: It makes sure that only the right people listed can easily access where this document if hidden.
- Don’t Forget! Nobody wants to lose their will, so registering it helps to ensure it won’t get misplaced.
Storing Your Will for Free through SideDrawer.com via The U.S. Will Registry
SideDrawer.com along with The US Will Registry is providing a free and secure service to store your will and other important documents. This new-age storage system guarantees protection, accessibility as well as orderliness of the records.
How to Store Your Will
- Find SideDrawer through The U.S. Will Registry: After you have made your will document and registered it on this platform, you can connect through The U.S. Will Registry.
- Create an Account on SideDrawer: Make a sign-up process in SideDrawer.com that might require personal information provision and setting up security methods.
- Store your documents: Scan the signed copy of your will into a Sidedrawer.com account for security and access purposes.
- Manage Documents: Use the right folders and tags on Sidedrawer.com to keep your wills organized.
- Make Permissions: Decide who may access the documents kept by assigning authority to some people, like an executor or lawyer.
Advantages of Storing Your Will on SideDrawer.com
- Safety: Improved encryption technology plus other measures such as firewalls protect unauthorized access against all documents held thereon.
- Convenience: You can upload, sort out, and retrieve your papers without any problems from wherever you are using a computer connected to internet services.
- Peace of Mind: The knowledge that these documents have been safely stored away so they can be reached by any person authorized on to the site in case of death provides peace of mind to many individuals.
Take advantage of these complimentary offerings from The US Will Registry and SideDrawer.com to ensure that your affairs are well-managed, safe, and readily available after your death. You can feel confident that both you and your relatives will have access to necessary documents when needed.
