Having all of your paperwork up to date and in one place will make it easier if a family member has to help you with financial and legal matters.
Important documents might include:
- social media logins and passwords
- birth, marriage/divorce certificates
- bank and credit card details and passwords
- investment information (e.g. shares)
- Centrelink and Medicare details
- superannuation and insurance
- house title/lease
- loan details (e.g. house, car)
- passport
- will
- documents appointing a substitute decision-maker or power of attorney
- advance care directive
- funeral information.
It’s a good idea to check or update who you have nominated as beneficiaries on your superannuation and life insurance policies. Let someone close to you know who you have nominated and how to contact your lawyer.
Download our fact sheets on Insurance and Superannuation.
→ READ MORE: Advance care planning
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More resources
Prof Jane Phillips, Head, School of Nursing and Professor, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Queensland University of Technology and Emerita Professor Palliative Nursing, University of Technology Sydney, NSW; Prof Meera Agar, Palliative Care Physician, Professor of Palliative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, IMPACCT, Sydney, NSW; Sandra Anderson, Consumer; A/Prof Megan Best, The University of Notre Dame Australia and The University of Sydney, NSW; Prof Lauren Breen, Psychologist and Discipline Lead, Psychology, Curtin University, WA; David Dawes, Manager, Spiritual Care Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Rob Ferguson, Consumer; Gabrielle Gawne-Kelnar, Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Social Worker, One Life Counselling & Psychotherapy, NSW; Justine Hatton, Senior Social Worker, Southern Adelaide Palliative Services, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Caitlin MacDonagh, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Palliative Care, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, NSW; McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer; Palliative Care Australia; Belinda Reinhold, Acting Lead Palliative Care, Cancer Council QLD; Xanthe Sansome, National Program Director, Advance Care Planning Australia; Kirsty Trebilcock, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA.
View the Cancer Council NSW editorial policy.
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