How to keep details of all my accounts safe for when I die?

dllive

Hi

Im have money in various bank accounts and investment accounts, together with property etc

Should anything happen to me - how best to itemise everything (amounts, account details, login details etc) so that theyre not lost in the ether when I pass?

I could just put all my login details and amounts in a spreadsheet and give that to a family member, but presume thats not the best/safest way. (that tounge in cheek btw)

Im curious to hear what others have done in this regard. Perhaps this is best held with a 3rd party (solicitor)?

Thanks

maisie_cat

My late stepdad had a "for when I pop my clogs" spreadsheet.
It was password protected and he gave mum the password, she found it very useful.

NoMore

Should only need the account details, access should be then done via whatever the death of account holder process is for each account.

older_and_no_wiser

Spreadsheet is good. You could also use a password manager like BitWarden. You could create a "When I Die" folder and put all your account info and passwords in there. You can give the master password to your NOK and/or in your will.

SouthCoastBoy

I have one a4 sheet of paper with money I have with financial institutions, no account numbers or login details as these change. All the executor/next of kin needs to do is contact them, the financial institution will do the rest. The sheet of paper is held in a a4 flip folder on the book shelf

JGB1955

My father had an icon on his computers linked to his 'Winding Up orders'.

I have a spreadsheet, updated monthly (and a physical printed copy) in our firesafe. Our original wills are there too.   I update Microsoft Money on a daily basis and there is a copy of it on a memory stick in the safe. Our children know where these are. I have also provided a printed record of all accounts, bereavement departments, pensions etc etc.

My husband is far less organised  but I DO know where to find all of his information. 

barnstar2077

This is something I have thought about a lot myself.  How to make it as easy as possible for your beneficiaries, while keeping details out of the wrong hands.  So far, I have just told them who I have an ISA with etc.  It is a difficult one.

MovingForwards

I have a death folder and told my OH where it is, it has the most current statements (where paper), or a letter with company name and reference number.

Marcon

barnstar2077 said:

This is something I have thought about a lot myself.  How to make it as easy as possible for your beneficiaries, while keeping details out of the wrong hands.  So far, I have just told them who I have an ISA with etc.  It is a difficult one.

Not really, if you keep a file with hard copies. Updating is simply enough if you ensure it has account details, contact info etc and delete accounts as they are closed/add new ones as you open them.

maisie_cat said:

My late stepdad had a "for when I pop my clogs" spreadsheet.
It was password protected and he gave mum the password, she found it very useful.

If you do hold information in a password protected document, it would be wise to give the password to more than one person. Death doesn't always follow the 'expected' order.

Workerdrone

This is an excellent question.

Personally I have a document entitled in the event of my death which is saved on iCloud. The wife knows about it. I update it reasonably regularly. It has things like contact details for my death in service benefits. Which providers my pension is with, the account numbers. Other holdings I have. As I have always been the one to do the financial planning (The wife prefers it that way), I have also indicated things like the total financial position in the event of my death (Including current pension balance, death in service benefits and thinks like life cover) projected for every year between now and our assumed retirement date of 60. I also to ensure to mention she is aware of current legislation like the pension being tax free if I die before 75 etc. I also dedicate a section to talking through the things which need to be done like probate. One of her concerns has been how would she pay for my immediate funeral costs, so I have highlighted the legal advice which shows the funds in our offset savings account being joint are not subject to probate so she is free to draw from them. Finally I give some indication of the plan I would have followed for her to draw down around 2.7%-3.5%pa from the invested sums to ensure she has a comfortably lifestyle and there is still money left to help our children with things like university or first house purchase. But above all, as I realise its a sensitive time, its intended as a document which can be handed over to probate/executor/IFA to allow them to structure her future income.

born_again

For the tight fisted.
A simple sheet of paper with the banks name who the accounts are with will suffice. Same with any other stuff. 
No one can do anything to get at funds without a death cert.