Document Storage
Document Storage
Assuming you've gotten all of your documents done …
What do you do with them?
Where do you put them?
Here's The Tea: Think Outside Of The (Safe Deposit) Box
True client story. I had somebody whose mother passed away. All the documents were in a safe deposit box. Nobody had access to it. And again, I got one of my attorneys involved, and we had to get a court order to get those documents.
Don't let that happen to you. We're going to talk about all sorts of ways and resources that you can keep those documents safe and accessible.
It doesn't help to do all of these documents if you can't find the documents, they're missing, or unavailable.
According to a survey by Caring.com, only 42% of LGBTQ+ individuals have shared their end-of-life wishes with loved ones, underscoring the need for accessible document storage.
Here are some e-storage systems and tools for organizing and sharing important documents. User-friendly. You don't need to be as tech-savvy as you think. There's increased accessibility and the ability to easily update and share documents.
One company is called Everplans. You can organize a comprehensive range of family documents, IDs, vital info, and account information, all in one place, and that's free, the basic version. They will walk you through step by step. There's an extensive resource library of informative articles, videos, and checklists. There are reminders and alerts about important dates.
Another service we've used is called DocuBank. You have medical records, a medical history, immediate access to health care directives, and emergency medical information. Anywhere. Anytime. Advanced directives, medication lists, a medical summary, allergies, and conditions. You get a printed ID card for your wallet.
Medical professionals can go online or call in with a code to access those records, and then they can be faxed or emailed right to the hospital.
Another one is ours—AdviceWorks. It's a document and account storage info, plus all your financial planning, goal setting, and tracking. You have access to a free account with us as a course participant. Details are in the resources section of this lesson. That's an easy way to upload and store all of your legal documents.
There are also many paper copy options available. You can complete a paper copy and upload it to other e-storage systems, make copies available, and share with loved ones and your attorney or caregivers.
Here's The Tea: Today Is The Best Day To Do Your Documents
Let's get real. I made a presentation with a gay estate planning attorney at a gay community center. And then, not a month later, I'm talking to this attorney and he says, You know, I got a call from the brother of somebody who attended that seminar. The brother was asking whether or not his own brother did any legal documents with that attorney because that brother passed away within a month. That's probably why he was attending the seminar was to get his documents in place, but he didn't.
And the attorney said, David, you may get that call from the brother asking whether or not he had any accounts. Sure enough, later that day, I got a call from this brother, and I felt so sorry for him. He's asking, Did my brother have any accounts with you? And I said, No, I honestly don't even know who he is. He just attended our seminar.
My point is, don't do this. Don't do this to your loved ones. Don't have this happen to you, that you have to go hunting to see what the documents are, where the accounts are. Plan in advance, get your documents done, and have the information available.