Pass Along Your Passwords

ANCHOR LEAD IN:
MOST OF US TRY TO BE AS PREPARED AS POSSIBLE FOR DEATH. WE DRAW UP
WILLS SO THAT OUR ESTATE IS GIVEN TO OUR LOVED ONES... BUT THERE'S SOME
FINANCIAL INFORMATION NOT IN A WILL THAT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR BENEFICIARIES TO HAVE… AND IF THEY DON'T, ESTATE PLANNERS SAY IT CAN CAUSE MAJOR HEADACHES. ______ EXPLAINS.

TRACK ONE Length: 05
TRACY BENNETT SAYS THE DEATH OF HER MOTHER WAS THE SADDEST AND MOST STRESSFUL TIME OF HER LIFE…

SOT
KEY @ : 07 Tracy Bennett, Beneficiary
"You are exhausted and emotionally distraught, and then there's a lot of business to be taken care of."

TRACK TWO Length: 06
BUT IT WASN'T AS NERVE WRACKING AS TRACY FEARED. THAT'S BECAUSE HER MOM LEFT AN ESTATE PLAN WITH DETAILED INFORMATION.

SOT
KEY @: 22 Tracy Bennett, Beneficiary
"My mom had listed that there were bank accounts in certain locations and a safety deposit box, that we were unaware of, and the location of the key."

TRACK THREE Length: 17
TRACEY WAS LUCKY.
FOR MANY, INFORMATION IS HARD TO FIND ONCE A LOVED ONE IS GONE. ESTATE AND FINANCIAL PLANNER MARTIN KURITZ SAYS THE PROBLEM'S ONLY GETTING WORSE…AS WE ENTER THE DIGITAL AGE. MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE USING THE WEB TO MANAGE THEIR FINANCIAL AND PERSONAL ACCOUNTS... BUT THEY DON'T THINK TO LEAVE BEHIND USERNAMES AND PASSWORDS.

SOT
KEY @ : 47 Martin Kuritz, Estate Planner
"It could be difficult to impossible to obtain passwords, codes, and other information. It could require a court order."

TRACK FOUR Length: 13
KURITZ SAYS BE SURE TO KEEP A LIST FOR YOUR EMAIL, BANK, CREDIT CARD AND INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS… ALSO, INCLUDE RETAIL AND EVEN PHOTOSHARING LOG-INS.
MAKE SURE TO UPDATE THAT LIST EVERYTIME YOU CHANGE A PASSWORD OR PIN.

SOT
NO KEY
"A minor change makes it impossible to access the information."

TRACK FIVE Length: 08
AND THAT CAN HAVE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES. AS MORE OF US OPT FOR PAPERLESS
STATEMENTS AND BILLING, WITHOUT ACCESS TO PASSWORDS, ACCOUNTS CAN GO UNDISCOVERED…

SOT
KEY @ : 1:19 Martin Kuritz, Estate Planner
"If there's a delay in obtaining certain information, particularly bills that need to be paid, as a for instance, a life insurance policy, or a health insurance policy can lapse."

TRACK SIX Length: 06
HAVING ALL OF HER MOTHER'S INFORMATION HELPED TRACY SO MUCH, SHE'S IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING TOGETHER HER OWN LIST.

SOT
NO KEY
"I plan on putting any passcodes that I have to my bank accounts and even the bills that I pay online. Makes it a lot easier for everyone."

ANCHOR TAG:
KURITZ ALSO SAYS IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO INCLUDE ANSWERS TO SECURITY QUESTIONS LIKE YOUR FIRST PET, MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME, OR THE STREET WHERE YOU WERE RAISED.
THAT TOO CAN HELP YOUR HEIRS GAIN ACCESS TO ACCOUNTS. AND ONCE YOU'VE COMPILED ALL YOUR INFORMATION, KURTIZ SAYS MAKE THREE COPIES… ONE FOR YOUR LAWYER OR ESTATE PLANNER, ONE FOR A RELATIVE TO HOLD ONTO, AND ONE FOR YOURSELF, KEPT IN A SAFE SPOT. ONE OTHER NOTE…UNPAID BILLS COULD END UP AT A COLLECTION AGENCY THAT COULD COME AFTER THE ESTATE.

SOURCE INFORMATION
FOR CLIENT-STATION USE ONLY
The information provided below is for client-station use only. It is provided to help you obtain answers to any additional questions you may have and to help you localize a story. This private contact information, including phone numbers, addresses and email addresses, cannot be given to viewers nor posted on your Website. It is for internal station use only. Any exceptions to this will be clearly noted. Thank you.

Martin Kurtiz
Estate Planner
1-800-762-5454

Martin Kuritz is a retired estate and financial planner who, for more than thirty-years, has helped clients to communicate their economic wishes effectively to their heirs. He is also the author of The Beneficiary Book: A Family Information Organizer an co-author of My Busine$$ Book and Take Good Care of My Baby. You can order a copy of the Beneficiary Book at http://www.active-insights.com