The documents that matter most are almost never where people expect them to be. A little organisation now means your family does not have to search through filing cabinets, shoeboxes, and email accounts during one of the hardest weeks of their lives.
The documents that matter most
Start with these:
- Will: where is the original? Who holds it. You, your lawyer, a bank? Does anyone else know where it is?
- Enduring power of attorney: particularly important if you have one in place
- Advance care directive: if applicable
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Marriage certificate: or divorce papers if applicable
- Property title or mortgage documents
- Superannuation: fund name, member number, and whether you have a binding nomination in place
- Life insurance policies: insurer, policy number, and the nominated beneficiaries
- Private health insurance
- Medicare card and number
- Tax file number
- Bank account details: institution and account numbers
- Investment accounts: share portfolios, managed funds
- Digital accounts: email, social media, cloud storage
Where to store them
Physical documents: use a waterproof and fireproof document folder or a filing cabinet with clear sections. Keep original documents (will, birth certificate, property title) in a secure location: either at home or with your solicitor.
Digital copies: scan important documents and store them in a secure cloud location (a private folder in Google Drive or similar). Make sure at least one trusted person knows how to access this.
If the box is in your name only, your family may need a court order to access it after your death: precisely when they need the will most. Keep the original with your solicitor or in a location your executor can access.
Tell someone where things are
This is the step most people skip. Organised documents that no one knows about are nearly as unhelpful as unorganised ones. Tell your executor, spouse, or a trusted family member: where the will is, who your solicitor is, where your important documents are stored, and how to access your digital accounts.
Review it regularly
Documents become outdated. Superannuation nominations expire. Policies lapse. Relationships change. Set a reminder to review your document organisation once a year. It takes less than an hour and could save your family weeks of difficulty.
Record everything in one place.
Remember Well• keeps your important documents in one place. Upload copies of your will, advance care directive and insurance papers, and record where each original is stored. Your trusted person can open them when the time comes.
Free accounts include First Steps, the guides and the basics. Document storage is part of Remember Well• Access, $149 paid once.
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