Friday, July 2, 2021

Long-Term Will Storage

Not actually Erin.
& is used with permission.

Both of my parents' wills are complete. This is the end of a legal process that has taken months and too much money, but at the end not only do we have a Last Will & Testament for both my parents but also Living Wills, Financial and Healthcare Powers of Attorney, HIPPA Authorizations, Personal Property Memoranda, and an Enhanced Life Estate Deed. This came to us in the form of two inch-thick packets and a thumb drive. 

In order to preserve these documents, we did the following:
  • One packet is with our paper files, should we ever need a printout. 
  • The second packet (an identical copy of the first) I sealed in waterproof plastic using a vacuum sealer and placed it in the garage freezer. This should protect it against fire and most forms of damage to the house. 
  • The data on the USB drive was copied and physical USB sticks were sent to my siblings. Not only does this give them access to the information, but it also helps insure survival of the information via geographic dispersion.
  • The original USB was placed inside my Bug Out Bag along with other important digital documents, such as copies of birth certificates, pictures of pets and family members (to aid in recognition and reunion in case of separation), and so forth. 
We very deliberately did not place anything inside of a safe deposit box. This was a personal choice made as a result of us wanting to cut back on expenses. If you choose to do so, I would recommend that you password protect the drive and encrypt it if possible. 

That's all I have for today. There's too much drama going on at home right now to write more. 


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