Things you should tell the executor of your estate

If you’ve created a will and have chosen an executor for your estate, you’re in pretty good shape with regard to preparations for your departure. Hopefully you have enjoyed good health in the years leading up to your departure, or have at least enjoyed proper elderly care, so you’re of sound mind when making final preparations. Keep in mind that there are some important things you should tell the executor of your estate, which will help them carry out their responsibilities with a lot less hassle and stress. Here are some of the most important pieces of information you should deliver to your estate executor, so your parting wishes can be successfully carried out.

If you’ve squirreled away your will somewhere, you should let your executor know its hiding place, or it may never be found. It would be a shame if you went through all those preparations and none of your wishes were executable, because no will could be located. Let your executor know the exact location of your will, as well as any other important documents which are related to your estate.

There are a number of people who must be contacted after someone has passed, and it would be most useful if you could provide your executor with an address book of individuals who would need to know about your passing. This would normally include family, friends, employers, business partners, creditors, and of course the professionals at the funeral parlor.

Any passwords you’ve maintained for accounts you have, or passwords which access your computers, should be passed on to your executor or someone else. As tips and advice for your estate go, this is one of the more important but frequently overlooked items. If passwords are not passed on, your accounts will become inaccessible, and that could cause a major issue in dealing with the termination of all those accounts. Computer information could be lost as well. If you have hidden away any items which are personal, make sure your executor knows where they are, or they’ll just be lost when you’re gone.

It’s generally pretty cut-and-dried about who will inherit the major assets from your estate, but who gets all your personal items? Over the years, most people accumulate a small treasure trove of souvenirs, heirlooms, jewelry, photos, and other memorabilia which had personal meaning to you, but not really anyone else. If you want to complete your estate planning and you don’t want these to just be thrown out, you’ll have to inform your executor about who you want to receive them when you’re gone.

If you’ve been supporting anyone financially for a while, you’ll need to let your executor know whether you wish this support to continue, and how it should be carried out. If you have any pets which you’re fond of, these should be given to a trusted friend or family member, so they can be taken care of. Pass this information along to your executor, as well as all the details listed above, to ensure that those things you cared most about in life are handled properly after you’ve passed on.