What Belongs in a Wallet Succession Binder

Families often ask us what to include beyond bank account numbers. A useful briefing binder goes further than a list — it answers the questions a representative will actually ask in the first forty-eight hours.

Account Inventory Pages

Each page should name the institution, account type, approximate purpose (daily expenses, retirement, property tax reserve), and whether the account is held individually or jointly. Include the branch address and, when known, the name of a relationship manager who has met you in person.

Access Item Photographs

Representatives need to see what a key envelope looks like, not just read “key is in the study.” We photograph items in context: the cabinet shelf, the labelled box, the drawer where bank tokens are kept. Faces and unrelated personal items are cropped out.

Insurance and Pension Summaries

Policy numbers alone are insufficient. Note the premium payment method, the beneficiary on file, and the agent’s direct number. Pension accounts should include the institution’s bereavement or incapacity notification procedure if you have received it in writing.

Property and Vehicle Records

Registration certificates, recent tax bills, rental agreements, and the contact details of building managers or tenants belong in numbered sleeves. If a property has overdue maintenance, note it — representatives discover these issues at the worst moments.

The Action Sequence

This is the section representatives read first. Write it as numbered steps for the first three days: whom to call, which cards to secure, where original wills are stored. Keep sentences short. Avoid jargon.

What to Leave Out

Do not include full online banking passwords in a binder that travels between homes. Instead, describe where password records are stored and who else knows the location. Do not include speculative notes about how assets “should” be divided — that is a legal matter for your attorney.

A binder that covers these sections gives your representative a fighting chance of acting calmly. Request a consultation if you would like help assembling yours.