Everything Your Survivors Will Need to Know
Your survivors will need to locate accounts, notify institutions, and manage your estate. The more clearly you organize this information, the less burden you leave behind.
Bank and Investment Accounts
- Name of each bank and credit union, account numbers, and type (checking, savings, CD)
- Investment and brokerage accounts with firm names and account numbers
- Retirement accounts (IRA, 401k, pension) and beneficiary designations
- Safe deposit box location and key
Legal Documents
- Will — location of the original and name of your attorney
- Trust documents, if any
- Power of attorney (financial) — who holds it and where the document is
- Advance directive and healthcare proxy — where the signed copies are
- Birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree
- Military discharge papers (DD-214), if applicable
Insurance Policies
- Life insurance — company, policy number, beneficiaries, and agent contact
- Health insurance — current provider and policy number
- Homeowner's or renter's insurance
- Auto insurance
- Long-term care insurance, if any
Property and Debts
- Real estate — deeds, mortgage company, and property tax information
- Vehicle titles and registration
- Outstanding loans, credit cards, and recurring debts
- Storage units or other property
Your digital life may be as complex as your financial life. Without access information, your survivors may be locked out of accounts, unable to cancel subscriptions, or unable to retrieve irreplaceable photos and documents.
Access and Passwords
- Password manager name and master password (or location of written passwords)
- Email accounts and login credentials
- Phone and computer unlock codes
- Two-factor authentication backup codes
Online Accounts
- Social media accounts and your wishes for them (memorialize, delete, or leave active)
- Cloud storage accounts (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud)
- Photo libraries and video archives
- Online banking and bill-pay services
- Subscription services to cancel (streaming, software, memberships)
Digital Legacy Contact
Apple, Google, Facebook, and other platforms allow you to designate a legacy contact or inactive account manager. Set these up now — they give your designated person access to your accounts after your death without needing passwords.
After a death, there are people who need to be notified personally, others who should receive a formal notice, and institutions that require documentation. Making these lists now prevents anyone from being forgotten.
Personal Notification
Family members, close friends, and anyone who should hear the news by phone or in person rather than through a public announcement. Include names and contact information.
Employer and Colleagues
Your employer, business partners, clients, or professional associations. Include the name of your supervisor or HR contact and any pending work obligations.
Organizations and Groups
Religious community, volunteer organizations, clubs, alumni associations, and any group where your absence will be noticed and your membership needs to be addressed.
Government and Services
Social Security Administration, Medicare, pension administrators, the VA, the IRS, the post office, your state DMV, and voter registration. Each has its own process for notification.
The goal of this step is not perfection — it is accessibility. All of this information should live in one place that one trusted person knows how to find.
A Physical Binder
A clearly labeled binder or folder kept in a known location — not a safe deposit box (which may be sealed at death). Include originals or copies of key documents, account lists, and contact information.
A Digital Backup
A secure digital copy stored in cloud storage or on an encrypted drive. Share access with your proxy or executor. Update it annually or whenever major changes occur.
The Tool for This Step: After I'm Gone
Everything on this page — the financial records, the legal documents, the digital accounts, the notification lists — has a dedicated place in After I'm Gone: A Workbook for Those I Leave Behind. This fill-in workbook walks you through each category with prompts, checklists, and space to record every detail your survivors will need. One book. One place. No scavenger hunt.
Why This Matters
The weeks after a death are brutal. Survivors are grieving, exhausted, and often in shock. Into that fog comes a relentless wave of paperwork: death certificates, account closures, insurance claims, legal filings, and notifications. Every piece of missing information adds hours of work and layers of frustration.
When you organize your survivors' information in advance, you do not remove their grief. You remove the scavenger hunt. You give them the gift of knowing where things are, who to call, and what you wanted — so they can focus on mourning, healing, and honoring your life.
Next Step: Legacy and Final Messages
You have organized the practical information your survivors need. The next step addresses something deeper — the personal messages, ethical will, and legacy you want to leave behind.
CONTINUE TO STEP 11 →