Helpful articles
A little guidance.
A thoughtful place to begin.
Prepare for a time when you’re no longer here, with simple ideas for the information your loved ones may need.
Short reads. Practical examples. Your own pace.Start here
How to start a guide for loved ones without feeling overwhelmed
A useful guide can start with one contact, one folder location, or one clear instruction.
Read the articleIdeas for your guide
Find a helpful starting point
20 articles
Getting started
Start your guide, one detail at a time
Start a practical guide for loved ones with a few useful details, simple instructions, and a manageable first step.
Read articlePeople & everyday life
Who should your loved ones contact?
Build a useful contact list for loved ones by explaining who each person is, what they can help with, and how to reach them.
Read articleDocuments & accounts
Where to find important documents
Help loved ones locate important paperwork with clear folder names, storage locations, and helpful professional contacts.
Read articleDocuments & accounts
A practical map of your finances
Organize financial reference information for loved ones without putting passwords, PINs, or full account numbers in your guide.
Read articleDocuments & accounts
Bills & subscriptions to remember
Explain household bills and subscriptions with service names, record locations, and practical context for someone helping you.
Read articleDocuments & accounts
Make insurance information easier to find
Make insurance information easier to find by listing providers, policy document locations, and relevant contacts without private credentials.
Read articlePeople & everyday life
The everyday details of your home
Leave useful home and property instructions, from service contacts to maintenance records, without exposing access codes or security details.
Read articleDocuments & accounts
A starting point for work & benefits
Help loved ones find employment and benefits information by identifying the right workplace contact and where relevant records are kept.
Read articlePeople & everyday life
Familiar care for pets & dependents
Record familiar routines, care contacts, and record locations for pets and people who depend on you, without replacing formal care arrangements.
Read articleDocuments & accounts
Explain your digital life safely
Help loved ones understand your online accounts and digital records while keeping passwords, recovery codes, and credentials out of your guide.
Read articlePeople & everyday life
Share the wishes that matter to you
Share personal wishes and everyday preferences clearly while keeping them distinct from legal documents and formal decision-making authority.
Read articlePeople & everyday life
The small things only you know
Find overlooked details for your loved ones' guide, from household quirks to meaningful objects, and turn them into clear instructions.
Read articleGetting started
A personal message in your own words
Write a warm personal message for your loved ones with simple words, reassuring thoughts, and no pressure to make it perfect.
Read articleGetting started
First, Soon, Eventually: where to begin
Use First, Soon, and Eventually to organize practical guide instructions without making every task feel equally urgent.
Read articleGetting started
Write instructions they can follow
Make practical guide instructions easier to follow with specific locations, clear actions, and less reliance on shared assumptions.
Read articleSharing & keeping current
What to keep out of your guide
Keep passwords, PINs, full account numbers, and confidential information out of a practical guide while still leaving useful directions.
Read articleSharing & keeping current
Share with someone you trust
Choose trusted people thoughtfully, explain what your guide is for, and understand when shared access begins and how it can be removed.
Read articleSharing & keeping current
Keeping a printable copy
Understand what a printable guide PDF includes, how to keep copies current, and why removing online access cannot recall saved copies.
Read articleSharing & keeping current
A simple routine for staying up to date
Keep a practical guide useful with a manageable review routine for contacts, document locations, everyday arrangements, and saved PDF copies.
Read articleGetting started
See your guide through their eyes
Review your guide as a loved one would read it, checking clear titles, useful starting points, missing context, and sensitive information.
Read articleA simple way to be there for the people you love.
Put these ideas into your own guide, at your own pace.