Can you answer all of these for yourself, your spouse, your parent, your aging loved one?
How many bank accounts, brokerage accounts, stocks, bonds, IRAs, 401(k), Life Insurance policies, annuities pensions and other financial instruments or products are there? Can you tell me today?
Who is the owner? Who can sign? What are the amounts? What companies? What banks? Who is the beneficiary? Who can close accounts? Who can open accounts? Who can change accounts?
Is there a pension? What pension options are available? Who gets your pension, IRA or 401(k) when you die? What are the tax implications of all of the above?
What documents do you have? Will? Trust? What kind, revocable or irrevocable? Who is the trustee today? Who is the trustee at death or disability? Who can amend or revoke the trust? Does the trust protect assets from claims, lawsuits or hostile family members? Who are the beneficiaries? Have you excluded anyone for personal or family reasons? Does your trust address the specific needs, concerns and issues of the LGBT community? Does your trust deal not only with the issues of dying but also of frailty and disability?
Do you have powers of attorney? What kind? Immediate or springing? Property, health care or both? Are they HIPAA compliant? Can you create, amend or revoke a trust? Can you make unlimited gifts? Can you make funeral arrangements? Sign arbitration or mediation agreements? Close, open or change financial, brokerage, IRA, pensions, life insurance policies, annuities and other accounts? Can you file a claim or defend against a claim? Can you manage pets? Can you sell a home? Rent a home? Collect rents? Deal with mortgages? Can you apply for government benefits including Medicare, Medi-Cal and the VA? Can you deal with RDP agreements? Can you file disability claims? Make end of life decisions? Donate organs? Exclude hostile family members from information? Make decisions regarding palliative care? Make funeral plans? What kind? Pick a casket or urn? Open or close a grave or niche? Can you arrange for a memorial service? Can you deal with an autopsy? Who has drug allergies?
Can you make care decisions? Pick a facility (home, assisted living, nursing home)? Pay for care? Hire or fire the caregiver? Enter into contracts? Sign arbitration agreements? Can you pay yourself as a caregiver? Do you have a care contract?
What else?