Free checklist · Saves as you go
Would they know where to look?
Tick each thing your family could find without you. Be honest: most people get through fewer than half on the first go, and that is exactly why the list exists.
0 / 20
0 of 20 done. Start anywhere. Even one tick helps.
Legal documents
0 of 4Money
0 of 4Digital life
0 of 5Home and bills
0 of 3People
0 of 3Words
0 of 1How to use it
How to use the checklist
Set aside fifteen minutes. You don't need to gather documents now, only to be honest about what your family could find.
Go group by group
Work through legal documents, money, digital life, home, people and words. Each item has a short note on what 'findable' means.
Tick only what's findable
Tick an item only if someone you trust could find it without asking you. Knowing it yourself doesn't count.
Fix one gap today
Pick a single unticked item and sort it now, such as telling someone where the will is kept or setting up a legacy contact.
Print or save it
Print the checklist for your records. Your ticks are saved in this browser so you can come back and continue.
Tell the right person
A list no one knows about doesn't help. Share where things are with your executor, or leave them a sealed note.
What each group is for
- Legal documents
- Your family can't act on a will they can't find. Note where originals are kept (a solicitor's office, a home safe, a will registry) rather than relying on copies, and who to call to retrieve them.
- Money
- An account list doesn't need balances or passwords. The name of each institution and what the account is for is usually enough for an executor to start the right conversations.
- Digital life
- Platforms like Google and Apple have their own legacy settings, and setting them up today is the most effective ten minutes in this list. Our accounts-after-death guide shows what each service offers. Accounts after death →
- Home and bills
- Subscriptions quietly keep billing. A short list of what to cancel and what must keep running (heating, insurance, the home alarm) saves your family weeks of detective work.
- People
- Write names and phone numbers, not just roles. In the first days, the most useful thing is knowing exactly who to ring.
- Words
- The practical list is for your executor. The letters are for everyone else. They are often what families say they treasure most. Goodbye letter writer →
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Related reading
Related reading
- JournalWhat happens to my pet if I die? How to make a pet care planIf you die without a plan, your pet usually passes with the rest of your belongings, and whoever deals with your estate decides what happens to them. A pet care plan fixes that: name a carer and a backup, write a care sheet, leave money for their care through your will or a pet trust, and carry a wallet card so someone knows there's an animal at home.
- JournalHow to pass on your passwords when you die, safelyThe safest way to pass on passwords is not to hand over a list but to leave one way in: set up emergency access or a recovery kit for your password manager, keep a sealed paper note saying where it is, and tell your executor how to find it. Don't write passwords into your will, which can become a public document.
- JournalDigital estate planning: a simple guide for the US and EuropeDigital estate planning means listing your online accounts, turning on each platform's legacy settings, recording what should happen to each account, and naming someone to carry it out. In most US states, RUFADAA gives a platform's own legacy tool priority over your will, and your will priority over the terms of service.
- Accounts after deathWhat happens to Google, Apple, Facebook and other accounts when someone dies.
- JournalIs a letter after death legally binding?A letter you leave for after your death is usually not legally binding and can't replace a will. Wills must meet formal rules that vary by place, such as signatures and witnesses. Handwritten wills are accepted in some places, so a letter that reads like one can cause disputes. Use a will for legal decisions and letters for love, memories and wishes.
- JournalHow to write down your funeral wishes, with a simple templateTo write down your funeral wishes, decide on burial or cremation, the kind of service, music and readings, who should be told, a rough budget and your organ donation choice, then put it on one or two pages. Give a copy to the people who will arrange the funeral now, because a will is often read after the funeral has already happened.
Knowing where it is isn't enough. They need to be told.
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