Key idea
A single document that hands your family the map to your finances. The most caring, least glamorous thing on this list.
An "if something happens to me" file is exactly what it sounds like: one document, kept current, that tells a trusted person everything they would need to manage or wind up your finances. It turns the organising work from the last lesson into something your family can actually use.
What it should tell someone
| Section | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Accounts & assets | What exists, and where |
| Insurance | Which policies, how to claim |
| Liabilities | What is owed, to whom |
| Nominees & will | Who receives what, where the will is |
| Contacts | Advisor, agent, a trusted person |
| Access | How to reach digital accounts, safely |
How to keep it safe and useful
The tension is between findable and secure. Keep the file where a trusted person can reach it, but store sensitive access details carefully (a password manager, or a sealed note), not in plain sight. Review it once a year so it never goes stale.
Tell one person it exists and where to find it. A perfect file nobody knows about protects no one. This single document can spare your family weeks of stress at the worst possible time.
Finished reading?
Marking this complete counts today, and your streak becomes day 1.