Caregiver binder checklist: what to collect for your parent

A care binder is the one place where the papers that matter live, so you or a sibling can answer a question from a doctor, a billing office or Medicare in a minute instead of an afternoon. Here is what to collect, section by section.

Last checked against the sources below: October 23, 2026.

Why keep everything in one place?

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) says having important documents in a single place can bring peace of mind and ease the burden on loved ones, and suggests making sure someone your parent trusts knows where to find them [1]. It can be a file, a drawer, or a notebook that lists what is where. NIA mentions a fireproof and waterproof safe for added security, and says that if papers are in a bank safe deposit box, keep copies in a file at home [1].

1. Contacts and the care team

Names and phone numbers of doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, close friends and relatives [1]
The primary care doctor, the pharmacy and an emergency contact (the FDA's medicine record has a page for these) [2]
Each health system's patient portal, and who has proxy access (see our proxy access guide)

2. Medications

A dated list of current prescriptions; NIA's checklist says to update it regularly [1]
Over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements on the same list, plus any allergies or problems with medicines [2]

Our medication list guide covers what to record for each one.

3. Insurance cards and statements

Health insurance information with policy and phone numbers [1], plus copies of the cards
Other insurance (life, long-term care, home, car) with policy numbers and agents' names and phone numbers [1]
Medicare Summary Notices, if your parent has Original Medicare [3] (see how to read an MSN)
Notices from any Medicare Advantage or drug plan

4. Bills and receipts

Medicare.gov suggests keeping receipts and bills and comparing them with the MSN [3]. Filing each bill by date of service, next to the MSN that covers it, makes that comparison quick.

5. Recent visits and hospital stays

Visit summaries, test results and referral letters, newest first
Hospital discharge papers. AHRQ's discharge guide asks patients to take it to future appointments [4], so keep it where it is easy to grab.

6. Advance directives and powers of attorney

A living will and a durable power of attorney for health care. NIA calls these the most common advance directives and says they only take effect if your parent cannot communicate their own wishes [1].
Copies of any medical orders or forms, such as a do-not-resuscitate order [1]
A durable power of attorney for finances, and the location of the most up-to-date will with an original signature [1]

7. Permissions to talk with you

NIA notes that giving a caregiver permission to talk with doctors, lawyers or insurers is different from naming a health care proxy, and may mean signing a form [1]. Keep a copy of each one:

HIPAA authorizations your parent signed for specific providers (see getting medical records)
Medicare's authorization form (CMS-10106). The form says 1-800-MEDICARE needs your parent's written permission before sharing information with someone else, and that your parent can submit it online from their own secure Medicare.gov account or by mail [5]. Medicare's caregiver fact sheet adds that your parent can also give verbal permission while you are both on the phone, and that after a mailed form you'll generally wait a few weeks before you can call on your parent's behalf [6].
Appointment of Representative (CMS-1696), if you will handle a Medicare appeal [7]
Portal proxy approvals, with their expiration dates

8. Personal and financial records

Full legal name, date and place of birth, legal residence and Social Security information [1]; keep this page somewhere secure
Where birth, marriage, divorce and citizenship certificates are kept, and military records [1]
If you help with money: sources of income, bank names, the most recent tax return, and debts with due dates [1]

How do I keep the binder up to date?

Give each section above its own tab, and file papers in date order within it.
Keep copies of legal documents in the binder, with a note saying where each original is.
Review it at least once a year and after any big event, such as a move or a major change in health, as NIA suggests for your parent's plans [1].
Tell a trusted family member where the binder is [1].

Turning a pile of paperwork into one binder? Our Parent Binder puts visit notes, medication lists, Medicare statements and bills in date order, with every line cited to its page, and drafts letters for you to review and send. See how it works.

Sources

National Institute on Aging (NIH), "Getting Your Affairs in Order Checklist: Documents to Prepare for the Future" (content reviewed February 1, 2023; read October 23, 2026).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, "My Medicine Record," Form FDA 3664 (form dated 3/11; read October 23, 2026).
Medicare.gov, "Medicare Summary Notice (MSN)" (no date shown; read October 23, 2026).
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, "Taking Care of Myself: A Guide for When I Leave the Hospital" (page last reviewed November 2020; read October 23, 2026).
CMS, "Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information," Form CMS-10106 (form dated 03/2026; read October 23, 2026).
Medicare.gov, "Talking with a Friend's or Family Member's Doctor During an Appointment," CMS Product No. 11441 (dated 04/2025; read October 23, 2026).
Medicare.gov, "Appeals in Original Medicare" (no date shown; read October 23, 2026).

General information to help you organize, not medical, legal or financial advice. Rules change and individual situations differ: check the official source, the notice you received, or a qualified professional. Starry Night is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, CMS, HHS or any health system.