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Do You Have P.E.A.C.E. of Mind?

By: Anthony Cloutier

If you're one of those super organized people who mark and label everything then this article probably isn't for you. However, if you are one of the rest of us that has to hunt every time you need a piece of financial paperwork or have meant to write down the family cemetery plot information for the last several years then keep reading.

If there is one thing I have learned in my years as a financial advisor, it's that death runs on its own schedule. All we can do for our loved ones is have our "house in order" when it comes knocking. In an effort to help my family and clients, I have created a P.E.A.C.E. (Personal Estate Assessment Consolidation Exercise) of Mind Binder. This tool has proved to be a simple way to ease the burden by having an organized place for all your important documents.

I developed the P.E.A.C.E binder with simplicity in mind. It is a 3 ring notebook that is divided up into 5 sections. Each section has a specific use with its own questionnaire/cover page and protective removable pockets for those documents that can't be punched.

My clients have found that once they get all of their "file boxes" together, it only takes them a couple of hours to fill it in and fill it up. The hardest part has been finding a safe and easy to locate place for the binder.

Our family and clients have found they are relieved once they have completed the activity. They know that they have created a playbook for the executor of their estate. They are comforted with the knowledge that their wishes will be carried out without an unnecessary struggle.

When we remove this added stress from our loved ones shoulders, we allow them to spend time grieving and remembering. An organized collection of our essential documents, such as the P.E.A.C.E binder, prevents many of the bumps and expenses we run into during the probate process.

So take the time to create your own organizational book or contact our office at 603-539-6560.