POA & Advance Directive Document Locator — the Checklist
The test this page passes or fails: if your parent is hospitalized tonight, can you put your hands on each key document in ten minutes? A locator sheet is the piece of paper that makes the answer yes — for you, and for whichever sibling is on shift.
Documents to be able to locate
| Document | What it does (plain words) | Who ends up needing it |
|---|
| Financial power of attorney | Lets a named agent handle money, bills, accounts | Banks, insurers, utility companies |
| Health care POA / health care proxy | Names who makes medical decisions if your parent cannot | Hospitals, doctors — at admission and at any capacity question |
| Advance directive / living will | Records treatment wishes in advance | Hospitals, hospice; often requested with the proxy |
| DNR / POLST (if one exists) | Specific resuscitation orders signed by a clinician | EMS and hospitals — usually wanted as the signed original |
| Insurance policies & Medicare/plan cards | Coverage details | Admissions, claims, pharmacy issues |
| Will — its location only | You need to know where it is, not its contents | The executor, eventually |
Requirements, names and witnessing rules for these documents differ by state — the attorney, legal aid service or online service that produced each document is the right source for questions about validity. This page is about locating and organizing, which is caregiving, not law.
The locator sheet — one line per document
| Column | Example entry |
|---|
| Document | Health care POA |
| Original location — be specific | Blue fire safe, bedroom closet, second shelf — not "the safe" |
| Who holds copies | Sister (scan), Dr. Lee's office, hospital file from 2025 |
| Date / version | Signed 3/2024 — replaces 2016 version |
| Prepared by | Attorney M. Ortiz — phone on file |
"Be specific" is the whole trick. "In his papers" is a treasure hunt; "blue fire safe, closet, second shelf" is thirty seconds, even for someone who has never opened it.
Where originals commonly turn up
- A home safe, fire box or filing cabinet — the most common, and the least discoverable by anyone else.
- A bank safe-deposit box — note which bank and who is on the box; access rules surprise families regularly.
- The attorney's office or the online service's vault — ask for a certified or plain copy to keep at home.
- With the primary care doctor or hospital — advance directives and proxies are often already on file from a prior admission.
- With the person named as agent — sometimes the agent holds the original; record that.
Copies vs originals
For hospitals, a clear copy of a health care proxy is usually accepted at intake; a DNR/POLST is typically wanted as the signed original. Keep at least one copy somewhere you can reach at 2am, and keep the original location written down rather than assumed. When in doubt, ask the drafting attorney — that is exactly what they are for.
Re-verify after any of these
- A move, a new bank, or a safe-deposit box change.
- An agent named in a document dies or becomes unable to serve.
- A new document is signed — retire the old version's entry, note what it replaced.
- Once a year regardless: locations drift, and the check takes ten minutes.
The
CareBinder generator prints a document locator section — document, specific original location, who holds copies, date and preparer — as part of the binder PDF. Fill it once, re-verify yearly, and every shift and sibling shares the same answer. General information only — not legal advice; requirements vary by state.
Related
FAQ
What documents should a family caregiver be able to locate?
At minimum: the financial power of attorney, the health care POA or proxy, the advance directive or living will, any DNR/POLST, insurance policies, and where the will is stored. You need locations and copy-holders more than you need the documents' contents.
Where do families usually keep the originals?
A home safe or filing cabinet, a bank safe-deposit box, the drafting attorney's office, with the primary care doctor or hospital from a prior admission, or held by the person named as agent. The point of the locator sheet is that whoever needs it next does not have to guess which one.
Do hospitals need the original or a copy of a POA?
A clear copy of a health care proxy is generally accepted at intake; a DNR/POLST is typically wanted as the signed original. Practices vary by facility — when a specific answer matters, ask the drafting attorney or the hospital in advance.
Is this page legal advice?
No — it is a recordkeeping and organization checklist. Document requirements, naming and witnessing rules differ by state; the attorney, legal aid or service that produced each document is the right source for validity questions.
How often should a document locator be updated?
After any move, bank change, or death or incapacity of a named agent, whenever a new document is signed, and about once a year regardless — locations drift, and the re-check takes ten minutes.