What if your partner suddenly dies? Besides having to grieve you are now responsible for taking control of the finances. Think about it! What would that look like? Would you have the resources to continue to live in the same home?
It goes without saying that a conversation with your spouse or your executor should cover all of the following topics and you should make notes on each topic, gathering information that is relevant to how the asset is to be treated when the owner dies.
ASSETS
Home and Land assets
Timeshare
Secured Assets (Safe or Deposit box at Bank)
Bank Accounts
Insurance Policy
Vehicles
Pensions
Personal Loans to third party
Intangibles
Art and Jewelry
LIABILITIES
Private Mortgage Loans
Mortgage Institution mortgage
Demand or Personal Loans/Lines of Credit
Credit Cards
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Lawyer
Accountant
Investment Advisor
DOCUMENTS
POA
Last Will and Testament
Click here for a complete description of what you will be looking for on each of the topics above on a printable check list. Once the information is gathered, don’t stop there. Get involved with financial decision making no matter how much you dislike the task. Share activities surrounding finances and if you don’t have a credit card or a debit card I encourage you to get one. The surviving spouse will find it easier to deal with financial institutions if they have established credit in their name. If you put off getting involved with finance with your spouse, it won’t matter until it matters.
Financial Advisors with years of experience can help you put things in perspective.
Make an appointment with any of our advisors, we will be glad to help.
This article was prepared solely by Mark Nichol, Roy Collings, and David Storrie who are registered representatives of iA Private Wealth is a division of Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. (iA Securities), a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). iA Securities is a trade name and business name under which Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. operates. The views and opinions, including any recommendations, expressed in this article are those of Infinity Wealth alone and not those of iA Private Wealth. The comments contained herein are general in nature and professional advice regarding an individual’s particular situation should be obtained in respect of any person’s specific circumstances. iA Private Wealth and the Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. (iA Securities) companies do not provide income tax preparation services nor do they supervise or review other persons who may provide such services. Infinity Wealth is a personal trade name of Mark Nichol, Roy Collings, and David Storrie.