Credit Professional 2018 Spring_2018_magazine | Page 14

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how to get those statements
online if you access them
electronically.
Mortgage and credit
information. Make a list
of your debts and regular
payments, with account
numbers and names of
the financial institutions
that issued the loans or
credit cards.
Insurance policies.
Pension and other
retirement benefit
summaries
Social Security payment
information
Contact information
for financial and media
professionals, such as
doctors, lawyers,
accountants, and
securities professionals.
Provide your financial
professionals with trusted
emergency contacts.
If you have a financial
professional, such as a broker
or investment advisor, provide
that person with emergency or
alternate contact information
in case he or she cannot
contact you or suspects
something is wrong. You may
wish to discuss with your
financial professional what
you would consider to be an
“emergency,” and specify
when he or she may contact
someone on your behalf.
Discuss what information can
be shared with your emergency
contact. For example, you
might provide your financial
professional with a simple
written instruction, such as:
“Please call my son Mark at
[phone] if:
 you are unable to reach me
and there appears to be
unusual activity regarding
my account;
 you are unable to reach me
for two weeks irrespective
of any unusual account
activity; or
 if you think I am confused
or acting strangely.”
Providing an emergency
contact generally will not
enable the person to make
investment decisions on your
behalf—so be sure to take
other steps if you want
someone else to manage your
accounts if you cannot.
Consider creating a
durable financial power
of attorney.
A financial power of attorney
gives someone the legal
authority to make financial
decisions for you if you cannot.
That person is called your
age