Contact:
Alison Arden Besunder
212-695-8100, ext. 289
[email protected]
Where Should I Keep My Important Estate Planning Documents?
I generally recommend against keeping important documents in a safe deposit box at the bank. Why? Here are just a few important reasons:
In case of an emergency, it is another stop you would have to make in order to get the documents out rather than having them accessible in your home.
If someone goes to the hospital late at night or on the weekend, the bank is not likely to be open in order for you to obtain the documents.
If someone dies, you will need a court order to access the box. It does not matter if you are a joint owner on the account. The banks will restrict access to a safe deposit box when one owner dies.
You can obtain an order from the court to obtain access to the box and inventory it with a bank employee, but you will not be able to remove any items from the box.
Goetz Fitzpatrick has been practicing law throughout the New York Metropolitan area and The Hamptons, since 1967. The firm has deep expertise in Construction and Real Estate, as well as Corporate, Bankruptcy, Trust & Estates and Labor & Employment. The firm’s office is located at One Penn Plaza, Suite 3100, New York, NY 10119, Telephone 212 695 8100.
