In Case I Go Missing Binder: A gift not just for your own piece of mind, but for your family’s as well

I recently had a “speed limit birthday” as one friend called it: a birthday ending in a 5 or a 0. Yes I turned 60 and at this age I guess it is natural to start pondering my own mortality. Add to that the fact that I’ve lost over 12 friends and acquaintances – most unexpectedly – over the past two years. In each case I’ve thought about how the family dealt with not just the grieving process, but also how they handled all the minutiae of one’s life from contact information, disbursement of possessions, and to settling the estate.

What if your expiration date arrived suddenly? How would friends or family members locate important information such as how to contact others? What you wanted done with possessions – INCLUDING YOUR GENEALOGY RESEARCH? What type of memorial service or funeral including burial instructions? Would someone have to scour all your papers, check a safety deposit box, or just “ask around”? Wouldn’t it be easier if you had already prepared what was needed to make the transition easier?

So I purchased the In Case I Go Missing Binder by Savor at Amazon and I have to say that this book made the process so much easier and really put my mind at ease. I know, I know … the frugal part of me said “Thomas, just get a binder and some sheet protectors and start putting stuff together”. However, the In Case I Go Missing system gave me structure and ideas as to what I wanted to include.

Labels, Pockets, and More – Oh My!

So I took the plunge, placed my order on Amazon and it arrived the next day. (Note: I live in Chicago and realize that next day delivery for Amazon Prime members is often not available in rural areas).

While unboxing the binder, I could immediately see a product that anticipated a variety of needs depending upon the person compiling their “stuff.” And while there weren’t instructions per se, this card indicates what can be accomplished by customizing the If I Go Missing binder:

The binder I selected has 10 different envelopes of different sizes and a list of labels I can affix to each envelope. 

Once I decided what I wanted to preserve and put the labels on the envelopes, then I filled out the Table of Contents at the front of the binder by hand.

So How Did I Customize My “In Case I Go Missing” Binder?

Here’s what I decided to include, keeping in mind that I selected items that would most help my family members handle my estate:

• Legal: All legal files including lawsuits and bankruptcies to which I’ve been a party. Also includes domestic partnership and marriage license/certificates.

• Estate Plans: Estate planning documents including health care directive, funeral plans, etc.

• Medical: A list of current medications, current health insurance, past surgeries and medical procedures, doctor contact information, etc.

• Passwords: I maintain a password protected spreadsheet listing website names, URLs, login, password, and notes. I also include the access code for my iPhone and for the spreadsheet file itself. I print this out and place it in the envelope. I also print out an updated list each quarter.

• Birth Certificate: My certified birth certificate as well as photo copies.

• Taxes: A copy of my recent tax returns, both federal and state.

• Passports: My current passport as well as expired passports.

• Appraisals: Written appraisals for jewelry and other heirlooms of value.

In addition, I opted to leave envelopes #7 and #8 blank for now and I can decide at a later date the contents of those envelopes.

The Like List

I can’t tell you how much I LOVE the In Case I Go Missing binder. It is well constructed, it has a discreet profile, and it is functional. I love that I can customize the binder for my own needs and the extensive list of labels provided proves that Savor put a lot of thought into what their customers might want. This is a STURDY BINDER and it is actually quite heavy. And by “discreet” I mean that when it is sitting on a shelf, no one would know what it contains … It looks like a book!

Tip: I opted to use an erasable pen when filling in the table of contents rather than a pencil. I first did a test in a discreet area to make sure I could erase the writing and this, again, gives me more flexibility in customizing the binder.

The Dislike List

If I could change one thing about the In Case I Go Missing Binder it would be this: allow me to remove sections and move them around or remove them all together. I realize this might involve adding a three-ring construction, but there are times when I might want more flexibility.

Conclusion: The In Case I Go Missing Binder is the “kick” I needed to finally get my affairs in order!

There are certain projects that are so important that we tend to “kick the can down the road” and put them off until it is too late. I know that if I tried to go the DIY route and create my own binder, it would have taken much longer to finish putting my affairs in order and I probably would have left it unfinished. The In Case I Go Missing Binder by Savor was really what I needed to finally get this project done and it offered me lots of ideas and options. I’m off to look at all the other items that Savor offers in terms of preserving family heirlooms, important papers, and more!

My Product/Service Review Criteria

Most of my followers know a few things about the genealogy and family history related products that I review and recommend:

• I prefer to purchase the products myself rather than accept a free product or service for review purposes. And if I do accept a product from a vendor, if possible I will donate it to a genealogical or historical society for a door prize at a future event.

• I always disclose at the end of a review whether or not the product or service was given to me for free.

• I am a shrewd shopper and raised by a single mother who could squeeze a penny until Lincoln screamed out in pain. Mom always said “you buy cheap, you pay twice.”

• While I realize the current trend is to get the absolute cheapest price for an item, even if it is a “knockoff” I scour the reviews for Amazon products and try to determine if there are lots of “fake reviews.” I also factor in where the vendor is based, where the product is manufactured, etc. So while you may see other “family tree photo display” products on Amazon at a cheaper price, I only review a product that I would feel comfortable having in my own home or giving as a gift.

About The Author: Thomas MacEntee

Thomas MacEntee is a Baby Boomer guy with a love of punk rock music but also art history who somehow “fell” into the technology industry almost 40 years ago, and then left a lucrative IT career to pursue his love of family history and genealogy. Technology and historical research are opposites, but “tech people” like Thomas are needed to guide today’s genealogists through the maze of options so they can deploy the best apps and devices to break down research brick walls. Thomas MacEntee: author, educator, advocate, entrepreneur, and that “genealogy guy” who helps you accomplish your family history goals. 

Disclosure statement: I purchased the If I Go Missing Binder at Amazon; I did not receive the product free of charge from the vendor. I have material connections with various vendors and organizations. To review the material connections I have in the genealogy industry, please see the Disclosure Statement at https://genealogybargains.com/policies/disclosure-statement/ .

©2023, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved