Getting Your Affairs in Order
A step-by-step guide to preparing the things your family will need. None of this is fun, but all of it matters.
1Create or Update Your Will
A will is the foundation of your estate plan. Without one, your state decides who gets what.
▼
Create or Update Your Will
A will is the foundation of your estate plan. Without one, your state decides who gets what.
Why You Need One
If you die without a will ("intestate"), state law dictates how your assets are divided, and it may not match your wishes at all. A will lets you name guardians for minor children, specify who inherits what, and choose an executor to manage the process.
Online vs Attorney-Drafted
Online tools (like Trust & Will, LegalZoom, or Nolo) work well for straightforward situations. If you have significant assets, blended families, business interests, or complex wishes, an attorney is worth the investment, typically $300 to $1,500 for a basic will.
Witnesses and Notarization
Most states require two witnesses who are not beneficiaries. Some states accept "self-proving" affidavits (notarized) that speed up probate. Check your state's requirements, because an improperly witnessed will can be challenged or invalidated.
Keep It Updated
Review your will after every major life event: marriage, divorce, birth, death of a beneficiary, or significant change in assets. Store the original in a fireproof safe or with your attorney, and tell your executor where it is.
2Designate Power of Attorney
Give someone you trust the legal authority to act on your behalf if you become incapacitated.
▼
Designate Power of Attorney
Give someone you trust the legal authority to act on your behalf if you become incapacitated.
Financial Power of Attorney
A financial POA allows your agent to manage bank accounts, pay bills, file taxes, and handle financial decisions on your behalf. Without one, your family may need to go through a costly and time-consuming court guardianship process.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
A healthcare POA (also called a healthcare proxy) gives your agent the authority to make medical decisions if you cannot communicate. This is separate from a living will and covers situations your living will may not anticipate.
Durable vs Springing
A "durable" POA takes effect immediately and remains valid if you become incapacitated. A "springing" POA only activates upon incapacity. Most estate planners recommend durable because it avoids delays in proving incapacity when time is critical.
Choosing the Right Person
Your agent should be someone you trust completely, who is organized, responsible, and willing to act in your best interest even under pressure. Consider naming an alternate in case your first choice is unable to serve.
3Set Up a Healthcare Directive / Living Will
Document your medical preferences now, so your family doesn't face impossible decisions later.
▼
Set Up a Healthcare Directive / Living Will
Document your medical preferences now, so your family doesn't face impossible decisions later.
What It Covers
A living will (advance directive) specifies your wishes for life-sustaining treatment: CPR, mechanical ventilation, tube feeding, dialysis, and similar interventions. It only takes effect when you cannot communicate your own wishes.
DNR and POLST
A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order tells medical staff not to perform CPR. A POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) is a medical order signed by a doctor that covers a broader range of situations. POLST is particularly important for people with serious illness.
Organ Donation
Decide whether you want to be an organ donor and document it in your directive. Also register with your state's donor registry and note it on your driver's license. Tell your family, because their awareness matters in time-critical situations.
File and Share
Give copies to your healthcare agent, your primary care doctor, and any hospitals where you receive regular care. Many states have registries where you can file your directive. Keep a card in your wallet noting that you have one and who to contact.
4Organize Financial Accounts
Create a master list of every account so your family isn't left guessing or searching.
▼
Organize Financial Accounts
Create a master list of every account so your family isn't left guessing or searching.
What to List
Bank accounts (checking, savings, CDs), investment and brokerage accounts, retirement accounts (401k, IRA, pension), debts (mortgage, car loans, credit cards, student loans), and any other financial obligations or assets.
TOD and POD Designations
Transfer on Death (TOD) and Payable on Death (POD) designations let accounts pass directly to a named beneficiary, bypassing probate entirely. Ask your bank or brokerage about adding these. They are simple forms that can save your family months of legal process.
Joint Accounts
Joint accounts with rights of survivorship pass automatically to the surviving owner. However, be careful. Joint accounts can expose assets to the other owner's creditors and may have gift tax implications if you add someone.
Debts Don't Always Transfer
In most cases, your debts are paid from your estate, not by your family personally (unless they co-signed or live in a community property state). Knowing this can relieve unnecessary anxiety, but the estate will still need to settle obligations before distributing assets.
5Review Insurance Policies
Make sure your coverage is current and your beneficiaries are who you actually intend.
▼
Review Insurance Policies
Make sure your coverage is current and your beneficiaries are who you actually intend.
Types to Review
Life insurance (term and whole/universal), employer-provided group life (often 1 to 2x salary), accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D), health insurance, auto, homeowners/renters, and any supplemental policies through professional associations.
Beneficiary Check
This is the single most important thing on this page. Verify every policy's primary and contingent beneficiaries are correct and current. Beneficiary designations override your will, so an ex-spouse on a policy will receive the payout regardless of what your will says.
Employer vs Personal Policies
Employer group life is convenient but typically ends when you leave the job (some offer conversion options). Personal policies are portable. If you rely solely on employer coverage, consider a personal policy as a safety net.
Keep Records Accessible
Store policy numbers, company names, agent contact info, and beneficiary details in your master document list. Tell your executor or family where to find this information. Unclaimed life insurance is more common than you'd think.
6Secure Your Digital Life
Passwords, accounts, and crypto. If nobody can access them, they're effectively gone.
▼
Secure Your Digital Life
Passwords, accounts, and crypto. If nobody can access them, they're effectively gone.
Password Manager
Use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane) and enable its emergency access feature. This lets a trusted person request access after a configurable waiting period. Store the master password in a physical location like a safe, a sealed envelope with your attorney, or somewhere equally secure.
Account Inventory
List every important account: email, banking, social media, cloud storage, subscriptions, domain names, and hosting. For each, note the provider and whether you've set up legacy/inactive account features.
Cryptocurrency
Without your private keys or seed phrase, crypto is permanently lost. Write down your seed phrase on paper (never store it only digitally) and keep it in a fireproof safe or safety deposit box. Consider a multisig wallet setup for large holdings.
Platform Legacy Settings
Set up: Google Inactive Account Manager, Apple Legacy Contact, Facebook Legacy Contact, and similar features for any platform that offers them. These take just a few minutes each and give your family legal access when the time comes.
7Gather Important Documents
Put everything in one secure place so your family doesn't have to hunt for paperwork in a crisis.
▼
Gather Important Documents
Put everything in one secure place so your family doesn't have to hunt for paperwork in a crisis.
Essential Documents
Birth certificate, Social Security card, marriage certificate, divorce decrees, military discharge papers (DD-214), passport, driver's license, naturalization/citizenship papers. Get certified copies of anything you only have one original of.
Financial and Legal
Your will, trust documents, power of attorney forms, healthcare directive, insurance policies, property deeds, vehicle titles, recent tax returns (last 3 years), and your master account list.
Where to Store Them
A fireproof, waterproof safe at home is the most accessible option. A safety deposit box works but can be hard for family to access quickly after death (varies by state). Your attorney's office is another option for legal documents. Consider keeping digital scans as a backup.
Tell Someone
A perfectly organized document collection is useless if nobody knows it exists. Tell your executor, your spouse, or a trusted family member exactly where everything is stored and how to access it.
8Communicate Your Plans
The best plan in the world fails if your family doesn't know about it.
▼
Communicate Your Plans
The best plan in the world fails if your family doesn't know about it.
Have the Conversation
Talking about death is uncomfortable, but it's one of the most important gifts you can give your family. A calm, prepared conversation now prevents panic, confusion, and conflict later. You don't have to share every detail. Just enough so they know what exists and where to find it.
Who Needs to Know What
Your executor needs to know everything: where your will is, who your attorney is, what accounts exist, and your general wishes. Your healthcare agent needs your directive and your values around medical care. Your spouse or close family needs the big picture.
Write It Down
A simple letter to your family summarizing your plan, covering where documents are, who to call, and what your wishes are, can be incredibly valuable. Keep it with your important documents and update it as things change.
Use While I Can
That's exactly why this platform exists. Write letters for the people you love. Document your funeral wishes. Leave behind the words and information that will matter most when you're not here to say them.