To take care of things when you're gone, your survivors will need a lot of details about your life. You can make it easier for them by preparing this document.
What Your Survivors Will Need to Know
Gathering this information and telling where documentation is located is a gift to your survivors. Use this outline to prepare your document, “Information for My Survivors.”
Identifying information for death certificate
•
Your full name
Your full name •Sex
Sex•(Date of death)
(Date of death)•Birth date
Birth date•If ever served in the armed forces, see Military Service, below
If ever served in the armed forces, see Military Service, below•(Place of death)
(Place of death)•(Street address of place of death)
(Street address of place of death)•(County of death)
(County of death)•Father’s name, Mother’s maiden name
Father’s name, Mother’s maiden name•Race of decedent
Race of decedent•Of Hispanic origin? Specifiy Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, etc.
Of Hispanic origin? Specifiy Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, etc.•State or country of birth
State or country of birth•Marital status
Marital status•Name of spouse (if ever married)
Name of spouse (if ever married) •Social Security number
Social Security number•Last occupation
Last occupation•Kind of business or industry
Kind of business or industryYour Immediate Survivors - relationships, names and contact information
Others to be Notified of Your Death
•Church or other religious institution – name, address, phone, and religious official’s name
Church or other religious institution – name, address, phone, and religious official’s name•Doctor’s name and contact information
Doctor’s name and contact information•Attorney’s name and contact information
Attorney’s name and contact information •Close friends and relatives
Close friends and relatives•Veterans Administration if a veteran
Veterans Administration if a veteran•Utility companies
Utility companies•Passwords for accounts and social media so they can be closed
Passwords for accounts and social media so they can be closedMILITARY SERVICE
•Dates of active duty, rank attained, honorable discharge?
Dates of active duty, rank attained, honorable discharge? •Location of discharge and other relevant documents
Location of discharge and other relevant documents•Registered with the Veterans Administration?
Registered with the Veterans Administration? [For information about burial arrangements at Arlington or other national cemeteries, consult www.cem.va.gov and your selected funeral home. Such arrangements are contingent upon eligibility of the decedent for burial in a national cemetery. ]
FINANCIAL
•Documents - Location of your will and other financial documents, such as titles, deeds, certificates of ownership, birth certificate, marriage license, Social Security card, tax returns
Documents - Location of your will and other financial documents, such as titles, deeds, certificates of ownership, birth certificate, marriage license, Social Security card, tax returns•Real Estate - Address and legal description of each piece of property owned, with name of co-owner if jointly owned, along with financial status
Real Estate - Address and legal description of each piece of property owned, with name of co-owner if jointly owned, along with financial status•Cars, Boats, etc. - Year, make, model, and VIN no. of each automobile owned, with name of co-owner if jointly owned, and current approx.value
Cars, Boats, etc. - Year, make, model, and VIN no. of each automobile owned, with name of co-owner if jointly owned, and current approx.value•Bank Accounts – Name and address of banks, with account numbers and other access data, name of co-owner if joint account, and current approx.value
Bank Accounts – Name and address of banks, with account numbers and other access data, name of co-owner if joint account, and current approx.value•Mortgages, Home Loans and other Debts - Name, address and other contact information along with amount owed and payments being made on a regular basis
Mortgages, Home Loans and other Debts - Name, address and other contact information along with amount owed and payments being made on a regular basis•Pensions and Other Payments Being Received - Name, addresses and other contact information for organizations providing monthly payments - such as pensions, social security payments, veterans benefits, and minimum required distributions – along with current amounts of these payments
Pensions and Other Payments Being Received - Name, addresses and other contact information for organizations providing monthly payments - such as pensions, social security payments, veterans benefits, and minimum required distributions – along with current amounts of these payments •Insurance – Issuing agency and contact information for all policies, including homeowner’s, automobile, health, and long-term care
Insurance – Issuing agency and contact information for all policies, including homeowner’s, automobile, health, and long-term care•Credit Cards to be cancelled or changed - Type (such as Visa) card number, and issuing agency
Credit Cards to be cancelled or changed - Type (such as Visa) card number, and issuing agency•Safe Deposit Box
Safe Deposit BoxOTHER
Advance Directive
•Location of your Advance Directive and registration number if stored in Virginia Advance Directives Registry. (This document deals primarily with medical care when dying, but also includes your wishes regarding disposition of your body.)
Location of your Advance Directive and registration number if stored in Virginia Advance Directives Registry. (This document deals primarily with medical care when dying, but also includes your wishes regarding disposition of your body.)•Name of your Agent designated in your Advance Directive
Name of your Agent designated in your Advance DirectiveDisposition of Your Body
•Tell what is to be done with your body when you die: whether you want burial, cremation, or whole-body donation.
Tell what is to be done with your body when you die: whether you want burial, cremation, or whole-body donation. •If you wish to be cremated, tell whether you want your ashes to be buried, deposited in a columbarium, scattered, or otherwise disposed of. Include your preference for a container.
If you wish to be cremated, tell whether you want your ashes to be buried, deposited in a columbarium, scattered, or otherwise disposed of. Include your preference for a container. •If your body is to be buried, express any preferences regarding direct burial or standard funeral, including type of casket, embalming, autopsy, viewing of the body, purification rites, committal services, etc.
If your body is to be buried, express any preferences regarding direct burial or standard funeral, including type of casket, embalming, autopsy, viewing of the body, purification rites, committal services, etc. •Indicate whether you wish to donate your eyes and other organs and if so, whether you have registered that intention (usually shown on Virginia driver’s license).
Indicate whether you wish to donate your eyes and other organs and if so, whether you have registered that intention (usually shown on Virginia driver’s license). •If you have made advance arrangements, give names and contact information of the agency or agencies (such as funeral home, crematorium, or medical school) to be informed immediately.
If you have made advance arrangements, give names and contact information of the agency or agencies (such as funeral home, crematorium, or medical school) to be informed immediately. Religious or Other Services and Provisions for Memorial
•Names and contact information of institutions where you would like funeral or memorial services to be held.
Names and contact information of institutions where you would like funeral or memorial services to be held.•Arrangements you may have made for memorial plaques, markers or monuments.
Arrangements you may have made for memorial plaques, markers or monuments.Aug 2016 rsb
