Demat & mutual fund folios: what NRI kids should capture for parents

Why investment maps go missing

Many parents bought funds through a bank relationship manager, an office ESOP, or a one-time IPO. The app password was set once. The phone number on file is an old Airtel SIM. You see “some investments” in conversation and nothing structured in writing.

• Multiple brokers / RTAs over the years (CAMS, KFin, different AMCs) mean multiple logins.
• Demat may sit with a bank broker while mutual funds are “direct” on another app.
• Nominee on the demat and nominee on each folio can disagree.
• NRI / resident status changes break KYC until someone updates it — often discovered at the worst time.

Calm-day capture list

On a video call, ask parents to open the apps they still use — or to find the last CAS / statement email. You type into the Life Map. They narrate. Stop if they tire; partial is better than nothing.

• Broker / depository participant name (e.g. bank broker, Zerodha, Groww — whatever they use).
• Demat / BO ID or client ID if visible; never store trading passwords in chat.
• Mutual fund folios: AMC name + folio number (or screenshot stored securely in the vault).
• Consolidated account statement (CAS) email address and which inbox receives it.
• PAN under which holdings sit; any second PAN in the household.
• Nominee name(s) as shown in the app — note if “not updated.”
• Who holds the OTP SIM and the email used for KYC.

Transmission vs everyday ops (high level)

Everyday ops are premiums, SIPs, and KYC. Transmission / nomination payout paths start when an account holder dies or is incapacitated. Exact documents differ by broker and AMC. Your map should tell the family which doors to knock on first.

• Keep death certificate / succession documents ready when a claim path starts (multiple certified copies).
• Expect each broker / RTA to ask for their own forms — the Life Map is the directory, not the form.
• If holdings may have gone dormant or toward IEPF timelines, note “old / unused demat” as a flag for later search.
• Optional: retain counsel when estates are large or contested — the vault can hold the engagement context.

Security hygiene for investment secrets

Treat demat and folio identifiers as sensitive. HeirReady’s vault encryption is designed so account references and notes can stay locked on your device. Do not paste full login passwords into WhatsApp “for convenience.”

• Prefer labels + last-four / folio in the map; keep passwords in a proper password manager if at all.
• Invite a sibling unlocker so one NRI is not the only person who can open the map with proof.
• Turn on authenticator 2FA on HeirReady; save the recovery key offline if you enable vault encryption.

How HeirReady fits

• Add investments as Life Map items during housewarming or later review.
• Attach scans of CAS / folio pages if parents allow.
• Share the vault with siblings; keep parents off the app if they prefer.
• Not investment advice — continuity admin for the family.