A plain record of where things are kept and whom to call

What this is

Family Affairs Organizer is a free tool for writing down, one part at a time, where your papers are kept, which accounts exist, what your wishes are and whom to call.

You write in your own words and stop whenever you like. Then you can print it and keep it with your papers.

Start your record

This is for recording your own affairs, at your own pace. Nobody should fill it in for you, or press you to, without your agreement.

Three things it never does

It never advises. It does not say what to do with money, property, care or an estate.
It never prepares a legal document. It does not write a will, a trust, a power of attorney or an advance directive.
It never asks for a secret. It has no place for a password, a PIN, a full account number or a full Social Security number. It asks where such things are kept and who can reach them.

A list of wishes is not a will.

Rules differ by state and country. For a will, a power of attorney or an advance directive, see your own attorney and your state's official sources.

More is on the page How this works and what it does not do.

Your record stays on your own device

Everything you type is saved on the device you are using. Nothing you type is sent to a server. There is no account to create.

It is best to use your own device, not a shared or public computer.

A browser can clear stored data. A print or a backup file is a copy that does not depend on this browser.

For the person who must act

The first steps checklist lists common first steps after a death. It is general information drawn from official sources. It can be read and printed without starting a record.

Guides

Each guide answers one plain question and lists the official pages it rests on.

All guides