An estate plan will make things much simpler for your family and others when you pass. To ensure things go as smoothly as possible you should let the appropriate people know where to find the documents when the time comes.
Some people opt for the simple option of storing their estate plan in a drawer, which will probably be fine, but provides no security against fires or floods or indeed against prying eyes. You could store copies of your estate planning documents in the cloud, but the originals will still be required when the time comes to use them. So where might be a good place to keep your estate plan?
In a safe in your house
A safe can certainly help to keep documents secure. However, not all safes are equal. You want one that will survive any unfortunate event such as a fire or flood intact. You should also consider how the appropriate person will access it when the time comes. If you give them a key they might lose it, or even access it early behind your back. If you give them a code they might forget it or write it down where someone else finds it.
In a safety deposit box at the bank
Safety should not be an issue with a bank, however, you need to talk to the bank to make sure that they will allow the appropriate person to access it when the time comes. They can be very strict about allowing access, which is a good thing, but could cause you problems if that person is not available for any reason.
At your attorney’s office
The firm that helps you make your estate plan may also be able to store it for you. As with storing it yourself, you’d need to check the security of their storage against fires and the like. Make sure you leave details of the office so someone knows where to go.
Getting help to make this and other such decisions is wise when making your estate plan.