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

by Sally Balch Hurme

Overview

Put your life in order with this valuable new resource from AARP and the American Bar Association. Checklist for My Family guides you through the process of gathering in one place your finances, legal documents, online accounts, wishes about medical care, and more. Plus it tells you what you need, why you need it, what’s missing, and where to get it.

While giving you peace of mind, this book is also a gift to your loved ones. It spares them stressful decisions and needless frustrations when you’re ill or upon your death. And it presents them with your legacy, by providing specific knowledge of family history and recollections about your life, interests, and accomplishments.

Whether you choose to gather this critical information in the book itself or through the forms available free online, you can easily customize and organize your information.

With this one-of-a-kind guide, you’ll stay in control of your life and feel satisfied in knowing that if anything happens to you, you—and your family—will be well prepared.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781627229821
Publisher:	American Bar Association
Publication date:	05/07/2015
Pages:	222
Sales rank:	13,744
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Sally Balch Hurme is an elder law attorney currently with the AARP Health Education team explaining the workings of the Affordable Care Act and the Health Insurance Marketplaces. She has also 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. She also was a member of the U.S. State Department delegation that drafted the Hague International Convention on the 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 Checklist for Family Heirs and ABA/AARP Checklist for Family Survivors. 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

About the Author ix

Introduction: A Family Gift xi

Checklists xv

Chapter 1 Personal History 1

My To-Do Checklist 2

Personal History Action Checklists 7

Personal History 8

Awards 12

Biography 13

Contacts 14

Education 19

Employment 21

Memberships 23

Personal Medication Record 25

Pets 27

Religion, Politics, and Hobbies 32

Residences 33

Where to Find It 35

Personal History: Other 44

Chapter 2 Family History 45

My To-Do Checklist 45

Family History Action Checklists 47

Children 48

Parents 54

Brothers and Sisters 56

Grandparents 65

Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins 67

Stepparents 71

Stepbrothers and Stepsisters 72

Stepgrandparents 74

Family Medical History 76

Family History: Other 78

Chapter 3 Insurance 79

My To-Do Checklist 80

Insurance Action Checklists 85

Annuity 86

Health Insurance: Disability, Medicare, and Long-Term Care 87

Homeowners and Renters Insurance 90

Life Insurance 91

Umbrella Insurance Policy 92

Vehicle Insurance 93

Insurance: Other 96

Chapter 4 Retirement and Veterans Benefits 97

My To-Do Checklist 97

Retirement and Veterans Benefits Action Checklists 105

Pensions 106

Retirement Plans 108

Social Security Benefits 112

Veterans Benefits 113

Workers' Compensation 114

Benefits: Other 115

Chapter 5 Banking and Savings 117

My To-Do Checklist 117

Banking and Savings Action Checklists 123

Certificates of Deposit 124

Checking Accounts 126

Credit Unions 128

Safe Deposit Boxes 129

Savings Accounts 131

Savings Bonds 132

Banking and Savings: Other 133

Chapter 6 Investments 135

My To-Do Checklist 135

Investments Action Checklists 141

Bonds 142

College Savings Plans (529 Plans) 143

Money Market Funds 144

Municipal Bonds 145

Mutual Funds 146

Stocks 147

Treasury Bills and Bonds 149

Investments: Other 150

Chapter 7 Real Estate 151

My To-Do Checklist 151

Real Estate Action Checklists 159

Business 160

Condominium 162

Farm Land 163

Investment 164

Primary Residence 165

Rental Residence 166

Secondary Residence 167

Timeshare 168

Trust 169

Real Estate: Other 170

Chapter 8 Other Assets and Debts 171

My To-Do Checklist 172

Other Assets and Debts Action Checklists 177

Business Interests 178

Collectibles 179

Copyrights, Patents, and Royalties 180

Credit/Debit Cards 181

Digital Assets 183

Lawsuits and Judgments 185

Outstanding Loans 186

Personal Debts 187

Personal Property 189

Reverse Mortgage 191

Rewards Programs 192

Storage Units 194

Vehicles 195

Assets and Debts: Other 196

Chapter 9 Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney 197

My To-Do Checklist 198

Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney Action Checklists 207

Codicils 208

Durable Power of Attorney 209

Gifts 210

Letter of Instruction 211

Living Trust 212

Will 213

Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney: Other 214

Chapter 10 Medical and Final Wishes 215

My To-Do Checklist 216

Medical and Final Wishes Action Checklists 225

Burial 226

Celebration of Life 228

Charities 230

Cremation 231

Donation of Organs and Tissues 232

Entombment 233

Ethical Will/Legacy Documents 234

Final Wishes 235

Funeral 236

Health Care Directives 238

Items to Destroy 239

Letters to Friends and Relatives 240

Memorial Service 241

Obituary 243

People to Contact 244

Pet Care 245

Veterans Burial Benefits 246

Whole Body Donation 247

Medical and Final Wishes: Other 248

Appendix 249