Guide · US edition · Updated 2026-10-29

What Your Family Needs To Know If You Die: 10 Things To Write Down Now

Nobody likes to think about it, but if something happened to you tomorrow, someone would have to pick up your life where you left it. Most of their stress would come from not knowing where things are.

Only 24% of American adults said they had a will in Caring.com's 2025 survey, and the most common reason given by people without one (43%) was that they simply hadn't gotten around to it. If a will feels like a big project, start with something smaller: write down what your family would need to know.

The 10 things to write down

Who to call first. Your partner, a sibling, your attorney, your boss. In order.
Who takes the kids and pets, today, before any court is involved.
Where your will is, and who your executor is. If you don't have a will, write that too.
Your accounts. Bank, retirement, brokerage: institution and last four digits only.
Your insurance. Life insurance through work is often forgotten.
Which bills autopay and from which account or card.
How to get into your phone. The phone is the key to email, banking and two-factor codes.
Your password plan: a password manager with emergency access, or a sealed envelope (see how to leave passwords for family).
Where your important documents are: deeds, titles, birth and marriage certificates, tax returns.
What you want: burial or cremation, the kind of service, anything you definitely don't want.

How long does it take?

Most people can do a first pass in an evening and finish in a few more. Start with contacts and documents. Momentum matters more than completeness.

Then: the legal documents

A written list is not a substitute for a will, a financial power of attorney, a health care proxy and an advance directive. Once you've done the list, you'll know exactly what to bring to an attorney. Parents of young children should prioritize a will that names a guardian.

Tell someone

The best binder in the world is useless if nobody knows it exists. Tell one or two trusted people where it is.

The Just-In-Case Life Binder walks through all ten in order, with a spreadsheet for accounts and bills and a letter of instruction template.

Just-In-Case Life Binder — $17

19-page printable binder for everything your family would need to know, plus letter of instruction templates and a life inventory spreadsheet. Instant download: PDF + DOCX + XLSX.

Get the Just-In-Case Life Binder Family Paperwork Bundle — $34