How this works and what it does not do
What it does not do
- It does not write a will, a trust, a power of attorney, an advance directive or any other legal document.
- It does not give legal, financial, tax or medical advice.
- It does not ask for passwords, PINs, full account numbers or full Social Security numbers, and it has no place to keep them.
- It has no page for who receives money or property.
- It does not record choices about medical treatment.
- It does not send what you type to anyone.
- It does not ask you to register, and it carries no advertising.
- It does not recommend attorneys, funeral homes or insurers, and it takes no payment from any of them.
- It does not score your record or tell you that anything is missing.
What it does
It gives you a calm place to write down, in your own words, where your papers are kept, which accounts exist, what your wishes are and whom to call.
The record has twelve parts. You can open them in any order, skip any question, and stop at any time.
For anything private, it records where the thing is kept and who can reach it. The reason is on the page Why there is no passwords page.
You can print the record, or save it as a PDF, so that it can be kept with your papers.
It also holds a short list of first steps for the person who will one day act for you. That list is general information drawn from official sources.
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.
Where the text comes from, and who wrote it
The first steps guide was drafted from official pages, such as those of United States government agencies. Each page is listed, with the date it was read, on the page Where the first steps guide comes from.
The fixed text is approved by the owner of this site before it is released.
The text was not written by an attorney. It is not legal advice.
None of the text is produced while you use the tool. It is the same for every reader.
Each correction to the fixed text is listed with its date on the changes page.
How to report an error
If something on this site looks wrong, please say so. The contact page explains how.
What is stored, and where
What you type is saved on the device you are using, in your browser's own storage. Nothing you type is sent to a server. There are no accounts.
The copy on your device is not encrypted. Anyone who can unlock the device and open the browser can read it. It is best to use your own device.
A browser can clear stored data. A print or a backup file is a copy that does not depend on this browser.
The privacy notice says exactly what happens.
What is free
These are free and stay free:
- All twelve parts of one person's record.
- The check for secrets.
- The first steps checklist and every guide.
- Print and save as PDF, including blank forms.
- The yearly review and the calendar reminder.
- Readable export, encrypted backup, restore and erase.
- Seeing everything that is stored.