Where to keep these documents — accessibility matters in emergencies

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Every family situation is different, and you should consult with appropriate professionals about your specific circumstances.

Your mother called at ten at night. She'd fallen. She thought she might have broken her hip. She couldn't walk. You called 911. While you waited for the ambulance, you realized you had no idea where her power of attorney was. You called the hospital where you thought she'd be admitted and asked if they had it on file. They didn't. You drove to her house while she was being transported, searching through drawers and file cabinets, looking for a document you'd helped her create two years ago. You couldn't find it. By the time the hospital admitted her and needed to make decisions about pain management and surgery, you had no documentation showing you had authority to consent.

The power of attorney you and your parent carefully created is useless if nobody can find it when they need it. The same goes for every other important document. An advance directive that sits in a safe deposit box nobody knows exists might as well not exist. A healthcare power of attorney at your house might not help in your parent's emergency. Documents only matter if they're accessible when they're actually needed.

Where your parent's documents are stored is a practical question that matters as much as having the documents in the first place. You need to think about where they'll be when an emergency happens. You need to think about who will need access. You need to think about security, because some documents shouldn't be accessible to everyone. Getting this right means your parent's wishes can actually be honored instead of ignored because nobody knew where the documents were.

Understanding the Basics

There are competing priorities when you think about where to store important documents. You need documents to be accessible in an emergency. You need documents to be secure from the wrong people. You need documents to be protected from loss. You need multiple people to know where they are. These sometimes conflict, and you have to find a balance.

A power of attorney that's locked in a safe deposit box and nobody knows about it is secure from the wrong people, but it's not accessible when your parent has a stroke on a Thursday night and you need to make decisions on Friday morning. A power of attorney posted on the refrigerator is accessible, but it's not secure, and physical documents posted in homes can get lost or damaged.

The solution is usually multiple copies in multiple places. You don't need to hide a power of attorney. It's not like a will. A power of attorney is meant to be used. Multiple people might need to see it. Your parent's doctor needs a copy. The hospital might need a copy. The bank might need a copy. You need a copy. Having several copies means people can have them without passing the original back and forth.

Your parent also needs to tell people where to find documents in an emergency. If your mother has a stroke and is in the hospital, and you're the only one who knows where her power of attorney is, and you're stuck in traffic, the hospital can't wait. Someone else needs to be able to go get the document. Multiple family members should know where things are.

Documents that need to be accessible quickly in an emergency should be in places where someone can get them quickly. A power of attorney or healthcare directive should be in a place that's accessible twenty-four hours a day. A safe deposit box won't work for emergencies because banks are only open during business hours. Your home office drawer works better if people know to look there.

Documents that need long-term security should be stored appropriately. A will needs to be protected from damage and from loss. A safe deposit box at a bank works well for a will because it's secure and protected, and a will doesn't need to be accessed immediately. The executor will retrieve it as part of the estate process.

Different documents need different storage strategies. A healthcare power of attorney that's needed in emergencies should be accessible immediately. A financial power of attorney that's used for paying bills can be in a more secure location because it won't be needed emergently. A will that only matters after death can be in a very secure location. POLST forms should be in multiple places because paramedics need to see them immediately. Some of these documents should even be copies that travel with your parent.

Your parent should also have a master document that lists where everything is. This might be in an envelope labeled "in case of emergency" that lives in a highly visible place. It should say where the power of attorney is, where the will is, where the insurance policies are, where the bank accounts are. It should list account numbers and relevant contact information. If your parent becomes incapacitated, someone needs to be able to find this master document and use it to locate everything else.

Your Parent's Specific Situation

Ask your parent where they want documents stored. What feels right to them? Some people are comfortable with documents being in their house. Some people like using a safe deposit box. Some people want documents in their attorney's office. Some people want copies everywhere. You and your parent should agree on a system that works for you.

Your parent should also decide who gets copies. The executor named in the will should have a copy of the will. The person named as healthcare power of attorney should have a copy. You probably should have copies if you're involved in your parent's life. The attorney who drafted the documents might keep copies in their file. Multiple people might have copies, and that's fine.

Your parent should also tell people where things are. Have a conversation about this. "My healthcare power of attorney is in the folder on my kitchen desk. If something happens to me, you might need it." This sounds obvious, but many people don't tell anyone where their documents are. Then when something happens, the documents might as well not exist because nobody knows they're there.

Think about your parent's home. Is it secure? Could documents left in a visible location be lost or stolen? If you're in an area with high crime, or if your parent has valued possessions, keeping documents visible might not work. A locked drawer or a safe deposit box might be better. But understand that makes them less accessible in an emergency.

If your parent uses an attorney's office, find out what the attorney does with documents. Some attorneys keep originals. Some give originals to the client. If the attorney keeps them, you need to know how to access them in an emergency. Does the attorney have a night-time phone number? Will the attorney release documents in an emergency? Can you get copies?

Your parent should also think about whether they want certain documents to travel with them. A POLST form should be available wherever your parent is, because it's needed by paramedics. A healthcare power of attorney might travel with your parent if they spend a lot of time away from home. But you don't want your parent carrying their full financial power of attorney everywhere, which is why multiple documents in multiple places makes sense.

Taking Next Steps

Have a conversation with your parent about document storage. Agree on a system that works for both of you. Make sure the system is accessible in emergencies but also secure enough for your parent's comfort.

Create a master document that lists where everything is. You can use a simple template. "Will: at the attorney's office. Healthcare power of attorney: kitchen desk folder. Financial power of attorney: same location. POLST form: on the refrigerator. Important insurance policies: bedroom dresser drawer." Make it clear. Make it specific.

Make sure people who need to know, know where things are. Your parent's healthcare power of attorney should be in your parent's medical chart. Call the doctor's office and ask whether they want a copy. Send them one. Ask whether your parent's hospital system has a way to upload documents. Many do. Your parent's healthcare power of attorney could be in the hospital system so that if your parent needs emergency care, the hospital can access it.

If your parent uses a safe deposit box, make sure you have access or can quickly get access in an emergency. A safe deposit box should be in your parent's name, and it might be difficult to access if your parent has died or is incapacitated. Some boxes can have multiple authorized users. Check with your bank about how to set this up.

Keep documents in appropriate condition. Use acid-free folders or document holders if you're keeping originals at home. Protect them from moisture and damage. If you're keeping documents for a long time, consider using archival storage.

Make copies. More copies. Your parent's healthcare power of attorney should be in your parent's purse or wallet, on your parent's refrigerator, in their medical chart, in the hospital system if available, and with you. You can't have too many copies of a healthcare power of attorney. The financial power of attorney needs copies too, but fewer places because it's less likely to be needed in an emergency.

Update the master document when things change. If your parent moves, update it. If your parent changes their healthcare provider, update it. If your parent changes where they bank, update it. This document should always be current.

This is one of those pieces of planning that's purely practical. Having great documents that nobody can find doesn't help your parent. Spending a little time making sure documents are accessible and that people know where they are makes the difference between having legal authority when you need it and being stuck unable to make decisions for someone you're trying to help.

How To Help Your Elders is an educational resource. We do not provide medical, legal, or financial advice. The information in this article is general in nature and may not apply to your specific situation. If you are concerned about a loved one's cognitive health or safety, consult with their healthcare provider or contact your local Area Agency on Aging for guidance and support.