Wall Street Journal, The 25 Documents You Need Before You Die:

Design your death dossier soon — or you could be setting up your heirs for frustration and financial pain.

1. Marriage license
2. Divorce papers
3. Personal and family medical history
4. Durable health care power of attorney
5. Authorization to release health care information
6. Living will
7. Do-not-resuscitate order
8. Housing, land, and cemetery deeds
9. Escrow mortgage amounts
10. Proof of loans made and debts owed
11. Vehicle titles
12. Stock certificates, savings bonds, and brokerage accounts
13. Partnership and corporate operating agreements
14. Tax returns
15. Life insurance policies
16. IRAs
17. 401(k) accounts
18. Pension documents
19. Annuity contracts
20. List of bank accounts
21. List of user names and passwords
22. List of safe deposit boxes
23. Will
24. Letter of instruction
25. Trust documents