Yes, adult children might roll their eyes when an email titled “Estate info” arrives. However, Beck, Lenox & Stolzer Estate Planning and Elder Law believes that creating an estate plan is a gift to loved ones. An article from Business Insider, “My dad sent me his estate document before I was ready to face it. I was glad he had when he died unexpectedly months later,” explains how helpful it is to have this information in advance.
Creating a “when I die” document may seem unnecessary when you’re relatively young and healthy. However, life is full of unexpected turns. Parents who are transparent about their estate plans give their families the ability to focus on their grief and not untangle an estate when parents die.
Some families go so far as to give children personal possessions while they’re living, or list out exactly who gets what in their will. Others provide a letter of intent to make their intentions clear, even if the letter is not a legally binding document.
When a parent dies, adult children often feel like their world has come to a halt. However, government and finance stop for no one. There’s a lot to do. For starters, death certificates need to be ordered, and life insurance companies and Social Security need to be contacted.
Having this information in advance of death or in case of incapacity will make it easier for your family to cope with illness or death:
- Social Security number
- A list of all bank accounts, mortgages, car loans and credit cards
- The physical location of important documents, including last will and testament, trusts, power of attorney, healthcare proxy, HIPAA release, life insurance policies, deeds, vehicle titles and registrations.
- Information on auto, home, health and long-term care insurance
- A list of pensions and retirement accounts
- Contact information for estate planning attorney, financial advisor and CPA.
- A list of all digital accounts, usernames, passwords and which accounts have legacy contacts.
- Location and login information for digital devices, including phones, computers, laptops, etc.
Our own death or incapacity is difficult to contemplate. However, preparing a comprehensive estate plan with an experienced estate planning attorney and assembling this information for loved ones is a continuation of caring. For new clients, Beck, Lenox & Stolzer begins with a free phone consultation scheduled with one of our attorneys. Click here to schedule. We also offer a free in-depth consultation in our office as a follow-up to the phone consultation, and we strongly encourage participation by the adult children if all parties are comfortable with that.
Reference: Business Insider (Nov. 24, 2025) “My dad sent me his estate document before I was ready to face it. I was glad he had when he died unexpectedly months later”
