Wallets can be a gold mine of vital information that may be required in the early days and weeks following the deceased’s death.

Below is a list of information and identification to look out for:

• Driver’s license or proof of age card – this will show the deceased’s full legal name and date of birth
• Medicare, organ donor and insurance cards
• Credit cards – will show who the deceased banked
• Pension card – will show if the deceased was receiving a Centrelink payment
• Membership cards – will show if the deceased may be eligible for assistance from Veteran’s Affairs or another organisation
• Advance Care Directive card – may give information as to who the deceased made a will with, next of kin, or potential executor

If you have the deceased person’s phone in your possession and can get access you can search for information about organisations they may have dealt with. Their phone may also have been synchronised to their Google account (Android phones) or iCloud account (Apple iPhones) which may help you recover the data stored in their phone.

If you are unable to access the phone and believe crucial information that will impact the estate administration process is inside, you may be able to gain access through a court order.

Contact us for more information.

If the deceased left access to their computer in the form of a password manager or list of accounts and passwords, login and look for documents such as:

• Recent files in Word or Excel
• Recent files or specific files in Explorer or Finder
• Folders that may have relevant information
• Recent browser history

You can access a list of online support for common email providers HERE.

Below is a list of documents to look out for at the deceased’s home that will help you work out who you need to notify or cancel regular direct debits, subscriptions or renewals:

• Bank statements – this will help you understand how many bank accounts the deceased held in their own name
• Tax returns – will help you understand the business dealings, income, investments, and properties of the deceased
• Tax invoices – will help you find out which service providers or subscription services will need to be cancelled
• Insurance invoices – will help understand what insurances were in place
• Superannuation statements – will help you understand what superannuation policies the deceased had
• Utility bills – will help you understand who you need to notify to have those services suspended or reduced
• Council rates notice – will help you ascertain the value of the deceased’s property and how much needs to be paid whilst the estate is being finalised
• Real estate agent invoices – will help you understand if the rent is due, who to contact regarding the lease or if an investment property is rented out
• Share certificates – will help you ascertain the number and value of shares
• Professional services invoices – will help you make contact with the deceased’s accountant, lawyer, and financial planner who may have important information
• Payment slips for government payments or pensions

You can find a printable list of common contacts and service providers HERE

Some banks still offer safe deposit boxes for important documents and other valuables.

You will need to know who the deceased person banked with before completing the documentation required by the bank to gain access.

Warning: make sure that your loved ones DO NOT store their wills in a safe deposit box because – ironically – the bank will not release the contents of the safe deposit box without a Grant of Probate.