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Locate Important Documents and Files
Legal Docs & Authority
Once valuables and critical records have been secured, begin organizing important documents that will be required to settle the estate, manage financial accounts, and provide legal verification. Start by locating the original will and any trust documents, as these determine who has legal authority to act and how the estate will be administered. When securing the home, gather records that may be needed for probate, insurance claims, banking, benefits, tax filings, and property transfers. These may include the will or trust, powers of attorney, tax returns, utility bills, checkbooks, credit card statements, bank statements, investment account records, insurance policies, retirement account information, military service records, Social Security documentation, divorce decrees or child custody agreements, court documents, loan paperwork, vehicle titles, deeds, and any other official correspondence. Maintain copies where appropriate and keep all originals organized and stored securely in a single, known location. Proper organization at this stage will reduce delays, prevent disputes, and make the administrative process significantly easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Process
Where do people commonly keep important documents?
Check these locations in order: home office desk and filing cabinets, fireproof safe or lockbox, bedroom nightstand or closet shelf, safe deposit box at the bank, with their attorney or financial advisor, and in digital form on their computer or cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud). Also check the glove compartment and trunk of vehicles, and any storage units—review bank statements for storage unit payments.
How should I organize the documents I find?
Create these categories: (1) Legal: will, trusts, power of attorney, deeds, titles; (2) Financial: bank statements, investment accounts, tax returns, loan documents; (3) Insurance: life, health, auto, home, and any other policies; (4) Personal: birth/marriage/death certificates, passport, military records, Social Security card; (5) Ongoing: utility bills, subscriptions, memberships. Make copies of everything before sharing originals with attorneys or institutions.
Digital
Should I check for digital documents and password managers?
Yes. Many people store important documents digitally. Check the deceased's computer, email (search for "policy," "account," "statement"), and cloud storage services. Look for a password manager app (1Password, LastPass, Dashlane, Bitwarden) on their phone or computer—this is often the master key to everything. Also check their browser's saved passwords (Chrome, Safari, Firefox all store them) and look for a physical notebook with passwords.
Documents
What should I keep and what can I shred?
Keep permanently: the will, trust documents, deeds, titles, birth/marriage/death certificates, military records, tax returns (at least 7 years), and any active insurance policies. Keep for 3-7 years: bank and investment statements, medical records, receipts for major purchases. Safe to shred: junk mail, expired coupons, old manuals, and duplicate copies of documents you have already preserved. When in doubt, keep it until the estate is fully settled.