In addition to tax returns and receipts, there are other certain legal and financial documents pertaining to probate that you should hold on to for several years after someone’s death.
Legal records
Legal records can include things like grants of probate, probate applications, affidavits, and anything else pertaining to local, provincial, federal, or state laws. These can include:
Birth certificate;
Death certificate;
Social security/Pension Plan records
Marriage certificates and divorce records;
Legal will;
Powers of attorney and trust documents.
These records should be kept indefinitely, and passed down if necessary.
Financial documents
These kinds of documents don’t just include tax returns: Anything related to the estate’s finances should be kept for at least six years after someone passes. Financial documents can include:
Account statements from accounts such as chequing, savings, and investment accounts, as well as any retirement accounts;
Receipts;
Pay stubs;
Any type of government assistance, such as disability benefits, childcare subsidies, and more.
Medical documents
An individual’s medical records are private, so the only person who can access and maintain them is their personal representative/estate executor. Medical records are important for identifying any genetic medical issues that may run in the family, as well as keeping an overview of any treatments and insurance coverage they had. These records can include:
These kinds of records should also be kept for at least six years.