ABA/AARP Checklist for My Family: A Guide to My History, Financial Plans, and Final Wishes, Second Edition

by Sally Balch Hurme

Overview

Don't put it off any longer! Get your life in order and make sure your family knows your plans and wishes with this simple step-by-step guide by a top expert in the field. This valuable resource walks you through the process of gathering in one place critical information about your finances, legal documents, online accounts, passwords, wishes about medical care, and more. Plus, it tells you what you need, what's missing, and where to get it. You’re never too young or too old to get organized and prepared,, so start now. While giving you peace of mind, this book is also a gift to your loved ones, sparing them stressful decisions should you become ill or die. Stay in control of your affairs with this updated edition of the award-winning book by AARP and the American Bar Association.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639050161
Publisher:	American Bar Association
Publication date:	05/23/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	275
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Sally Hurme is an elder law attorney and author. While with AARP for 23 years she worked on a wide variety of issues including advance care planning, surrogate decision making, consumer fraud, elder abuse, and financial security. Ms. Hurme was an advisor to the Uniform Law Commission in the drafting of the uniform guardianship jurisdiction act and Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship and other Protective Arrangements Act. She also was a member of the U.S. State Department delegation that drafted the Hague Convention on the International Protection of Adults. She has authored 20 law review articles and book chapters on various elder law issues and taught elder law at George Washington University Law School. She is author of the ABA/AARP Checklist series: Checklist for My Family, Checklist for Family Survivors, Checklist for Family Caregivers, Get the Most Out of Retirement, and Wise Moves. She received her law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University, Washington, D.C., and her bachelor's degree from Newcomb College, Tulane University in New Orleans.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Gift to Yourself and Your Family ix

Chapter 1 My Personal History 1

My To-Do Checklist 2

Personal History Action Checklists 7

Basic Personal Information 8

Biography 12

Contacts 13

Health and Medication Record 19

Awards and Accomplishments 23

Education 24

Employment 27

Memberships 30

Pets 32

Religion, Politics, and Hobbies 34

Residences 35

Where to Find It 37

Personal History: Other Highlights 44

Chapter 2 My Family History 45

My To-Do Checklist 45

Family History Action Checklists 47

Children and Grandchildren 48

Parents 53

Siblings 55

Grandparents 60

Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins 63

Family Medical History 68

Family History: Other Highlights 71

Chapter 3 My Insurance 73

My To-Do Checklist 74

Insurance Action Checklists 87

Annuity 88

Health Insurance: Group, Private, Medicare, and Long-Term Care 90

Homeowners and Renters Insurance 102

Life Insurance 104

Umbrella Insurance 106

Vehicle Insurance 108

Insurance: Other Highlights 110

Chapter 4 My Banking and Savings 111

My To-Do Checklist 111

Banking and Savings Action Checklists 117

Certificates of Deposit 118

Checking and Savings Accounts 120

Credit Unions 122

Safe Deposit Boxes 124

Savings Bonds 126

Banking and Savings: Other Highlights 127

Chapter 5 My Investments 129

My To-Do Checklist 130

Investments Action Checklists 137

Education Savings (529) Plans 138

Investment Accounts 140

Treasury Bills and Bonds 142

Investments: Other Highlights 144

Chapter 6 My Retirement Benefits 145

My To-Do Checklist 145

Retirement Benefits Action Checklists 151

Pensions 152

Retirement Plans 154

Social Security Benefits 158

Retirement Benefits: Other Highlights 159

Chapter 7 My Veterans Benefits 161

My To-Do Checklist 161

Veterans Benefits Action Checklists 165

Veterans Benefits for Me and My Caregivers 166

Veterans Benefits upon My Death 168

Veterans Benefits: Other Highlights 169

Chapter 8 My Real Estate 171

My To-Do Checklist 171

Real Estate Action Checklists 181

Business Property 182

Condominium 184

Investment Property 185

Primary Residence 186

Rental Residence 187

Secondary Residence 188

Timeshare 189

Trust 191

Real Estate: Other Highlights 192

Chapter 9 My Other Assets and Debts 193

My To-Do Checklist 194

Other Assets and Debts Action Checklists 199

Business Interests 200

Copyrights, Patents, and Royalties 201

Credit/Debit Cards 202

Digital Assets 204

Lawsuits and Judgments 206

Loyalty Programs 207

Outstanding Loans 210

Personal Debts 211

Reverse Mortgage 212

Special Possessions 213

Storage Units 214

Vehicles 216

Assets and Debts: Other Highlights 217

Chapter 10 My Will, Trust, and Power of Attorney for Finances 219

My To-Do Checklist 220

Will, Trust, and Power of Attorney for Finances Action Checklists 229

Letters of Instruction 230

Living Trust 231

Power of Attorney for Finances 232

Will and Codicil 233

Will, Trust, and Power of Attorney for Finances: Other Highlights 234

Chapter 11 My Medical and Final Wishes 235

My To-Do Checklist 236

Medical and Final Wishes Action Checklists 243

Burial 244

Celebration of Life 246

Charities 248

Cremation 249

Donation of Organs and Tissues 250

Entombment 251

Ethical Will/Legacy Documents 252

Final Wishes 253

Funeral 254

Health Care Directives 257

Letters to Friends and Relatives 258

Memorial Service 259

Obituary 261

People to Contact 262

Pet Care 263

Whole Body Donation 264

Medical and Final Wishes: Other Highlights 265

Resources 267

About the Author 269

Editorial Reviews

Praise for the Bestselling, Award-winning Checklist for My Family

Stacks of papers are among the biggest challenges of decluttering and downsizing. The fear of throwing away something important scares us all. But retaining the mess clogs up your living space—and your life. There’s a simple solution. Sally Hurme’s Checklist for My Family guides you step by step through which papers to save, which to toss, and where to keep them.

—Matt Paxton, author of Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff: Declutter, Downsize, and Move Forward With Your Life; star of PBS’s Emmy-nominated Legacy List with Matt Paxton; and celebrity cleaner on Hoarders

Pulling all this information together in one place, with Sally Hurme’s latest book, will help you immeasurably every time you visit a doctor, do your taxes, access an online account, and more. And if you’re wondering, “When I die or get sick, will my loved ones know what to do? Will they understand what I want?” you can be reassured: With Checklist for My Family, the answer is yes.

—Jean Chatzky, CEO of HerMoney.com and AARP Financial Ambassador

This is the one workbook every family needs to organize all the critically important information that we usually relegate to a drawer, box, or online file somewhere—information about family history, life events, financial assets, estate plans, benefit entitlements, health care, and end-of-life wishes. It will help you now, and it will help your loved ones avoid the agonizing time, effort, and expense of finding that important document, account number, photograph, or historical gem.

—Charlie Sabatino, former director, Commission on Law and Aging, American Bar Association

From the Publisher