The 25 Documents Your Family Needs When You Die
When someone passes away, their family needs access to dozens of accounts, documents, and pieces of information — often within days. Here's the complete list of everything your family will need, organized by category.
💡 Pro Tip: Don't just make a list — tell your family where each item is located. That's exactly what MyLifeLedger does: it organizes where everything is, so your family doesn't have to play detective.
💰 Financial Accounts
Bank accounts (checking, savings)
Your family needs to know which banks you use, account types, and who is joint owner (if any). They don't need account numbers — just the institution names and locations.
Investment & brokerage accounts
Stocks, bonds, mutual funds — which firms hold your investments? Who is the financial advisor?
Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, pension)
These have named beneficiaries that override your will. Your family needs to know which accounts exist and where.
Credit cards & outstanding debts
Your family needs to close accounts and stop recurring charges. They also need to know about any debts that may affect the estate.
Safe deposit box location & key
If you have a safe deposit box, your family needs to know which bank it's at and where the key is stored.
🛡️ Insurance Policies
Life insurance policies
This is often the most urgent — your family may need the payout to cover expenses. They need the insurer name, policy number, and agent contact info.
Health insurance
If you had dependents on your health plan, they need to know about COBRA options and enrollment deadlines.
Homeowner's / renter's insurance
Coverage details, agent info, and whether there's a mortgage protection rider.
Auto insurance
Policy details and agent contact for each vehicle.
Long-term care or disability insurance
If applicable, your family needs to file or close claims.
📋 Legal Documents
Will / Last Will and Testament
Where is the original stored? Who is the executor? Which attorney drafted it?
Trust documents (if applicable)
Revocable trust, irrevocable trust — where are the originals? Who is the trustee?
Power of Attorney
Both financial and healthcare POA. These expire at death but are critical during incapacity.
Healthcare Directive / Living Will
Your medical wishes if you're incapacitated. Where is this document stored?
Marriage certificate, birth certificates
Often needed for claims, probate, and account transfers.
🏠 Property & Vehicles
Property deeds & mortgage info
Which bank holds the mortgage? Where is the deed stored?
Vehicle titles & registrations
For each vehicle — where is the title? Is there an outstanding loan?
Rental property or lease agreements
If you own rental property or have a lease, your family needs this info.
👤 Personal & Digital
Email accounts
Email is the gateway to everything. Your family may need access to email to reset passwords, find accounts, and close them.
Social media accounts
Facebook, Instagram, etc. have specific policies for memorializing or deleting accounts of deceased users.
Subscription services
Streaming, news, software — these need to be cancelled to stop recurring charges.
Cloud storage
Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox — there may be important documents or photos stored here.
Cryptocurrency wallets
If you hold crypto, your family needs to know it exists and how to access it. Without this, it's lost forever.
❤️ Personal Wishes
Funeral & burial preferences
Pre-paid funeral plans, preference for burial vs cremation, specific wishes.
Key contacts (attorney, CPA, financial advisor)
The professionals who already know your situation and can help your family navigate the process.
The Problem with Paper Lists
You could write all this down on paper. But paper goes stale, can't be shared remotely, and is vulnerable to fire, flood, or theft. What happens when you change banks? Get new insurance? Move?
That's why families are switching to digital tools like MyLifeLedger — always current, always accessible, always secure. Learn how to switch from paper →
Related
Organize all 25 in one place.
MyLifeLedger walks you through every category with simple prompts. Done in 60 minutes — and your family will always know where everything is.
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