In Case of Death Binder — What to Put in It, Tab by Tab
An in case of death binder tells your family where everything is and what you want, so they are not searching through drawers in the worst week of their lives. Tabzoola, which prints custom binder tabs in Schaumburg, Illinois, organizes it as ten tabs, in the order the family will need them. Here is what goes behind each one.
- Tab 1
Important Contacts
The executor and successor trustee, the estate planning attorney, financial advisor, CPA, insurance agent, doctors, employer or HR, and the people to call first.
- Tab 2
Will & Trust
A copy of the will and any trust, and a note of where the signed originals are kept (often with the attorney or in a home safe).
- Tab 3
Powers of Attorney & Health Care
The financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney, living will or advance directive, and HIPAA authorization.
- Tab 4
Bank & Investment Accounts
Each institution, the type of account, how it is titled, and where the statements arrive.
- Tab 5
Retirement & Beneficiaries
401(k)s, IRAs and pensions, and who is named as beneficiary on each; these pass by the beneficiary form, not the will.
- Tab 6
Insurance Policies
Life, long-term care, home and auto policies, with the policy numbers and the agent to call.
- Tab 7
Property & Vehicles
Deeds, titles, the mortgage, property tax records and any safe deposit box.
- Tab 8
Bills & Debts
Recurring bills, loans and credit cards, and which ones are on autopay, so nothing lapses or keeps charging.
- Tab 9
Digital Accounts
Where the list of online accounts and the password manager can be found. Many people keep the passwords themselves out of the binder and note only where they are.
- Tab 10
Final Wishes
Burial or cremation, the service, notes for an obituary, care for pets, and a letter to the family.
Free checklists to fill it in
- Estate planning checklist — mark each document as in place or still needed, note where it's kept, and download a PDF.
- What to do when someone dies — the steps for the family, for the first days, weeks and months.
- Free printable 1/5-cut tab template — ten tabs in two banks of five, for making one binder at home.
For firms that give these binders to clients
Estate planning attorneys, financial advisors and funeral homes hand families a binder like this. Tabzoola prints the ten tabs above as a set, collated and 3-hole punched with clear Mylar on every tab: $9.92 a set at the 25-set minimum ($247.88) and $3.24 at 250, setup included, with a free PDF proof before anything prints. Rename any tab to match your firm.
Questions
What should be in an in case of death binder?
The papers and facts a family needs in the first weeks, in the order they need them. Tabzoola's ten-tab layout: Important Contacts, Will & Trust, Powers of Attorney & Health Care, Bank & Investment Accounts, Retirement & Beneficiaries, Insurance Policies, Property & Vehicles, Bills & Debts, Digital Accounts, Final Wishes. Behind each tab go copies, account details and a note of where the originals are kept.
What is the difference between a death binder, a legacy binder and an end of life binder?
They are names for the same thing: one binder that tells your family where everything is and what you want. Some people call it a legacy binder, an in case of emergency binder or a when I die binder. The contents are the same.
Should passwords go in the binder?
Many people keep passwords out of a paper binder and write down only where they are kept, such as a password manager and who can reach it. A binder can be lost or seen by the wrong person, so ask your estate planning attorney what suits your situation.
Where should I keep the binder?
Somewhere safe that the executor knows about, such as a fireproof home safe. Tell the people who will need it where it is; a binder nobody can find does not help.
Can I get the tabs printed for my binder?
Tabzoola prints this ten-tab set to order, collated and 3-hole punched with clear Mylar on every tab, at $9.92 a set for the 25-set minimum ($247.88) and $3.24 a set at 250. That minimum suits estate planning firms, financial advisors and funeral homes that give a binder to every client. For one binder of your own, print the free tab template instead.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general information about organizing papers. It does not tell you which documents you need or whether yours are valid; an estate planning attorney licensed in your state does that.