Sharing with your Spouse

I'm not a real movie star. I've still got the same wife I started out with
twenty-eight years ago. - Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)

Clearing out old papers this morning I came across a list of information that spouses (or significant others) should share. These include company names & address, phone numbers, email, account ID & password for the following...

• Utility companies: gas, water, electric, telephone, cable TV, cell phone
• Contractors: plumbing, air-conditioning, auto repair, lawn mowing, etc
• Professionals like lawyers, financial advisers, and doctors.
• What is your preferred hospital and health insurance?
• Life insurance, Home/Fire insurance, car insurance.
• Caregivers (like babysitters) for your children or elderly parents
• Medications and dosage taken by family members
• School & teachers for your children
• Relatives and friends to contact in an emergency
• Tax preparer or location of past tax information
• Outstanding loans
• Retirement plans
• Credit cards, bank account, CDs

Bottom Line

If there are assets you don't own jointly, arrange for your spouse to have "Power of Attorney" in case you die or are incapacitated. See also my earlier blog, Death - JT TEN WROS regarding Joint Tenant with Right of Surviorship. Other blogs on this topic include what important papers to collect and how to keep them safe, Protecting your Go-Kit Contents, and Who gets your 401(k) when you're dead?

In our house we entered this information into an excel spreadsheet, attached a password to it for privacy and printed out a copy stored in an non-obvious location. We also put a copy of this information on my parents computer and backed it up on flash drives we carry with us.