The questions to cover at the family table
You don't need a lawyer to protect your family — you need answers. These are the questions that, left unanswered, turn a hard day into months of confusion.
Print this, bring it to the dinner table, and go through it together. There are no wrong answers — only the ones you never wrote down.
Money & accounts
- Which banks or credit unions do we use, and where are the statements?
- What bills pay automatically, and from which account?
- What insurance policies exist (life, health, home, auto) — and who are the beneficiaries?
- Is there a safe or safe-deposit box? Where's the key or combination?
- Who owes us money, and who do we owe?
Documents & access
- Where are the important papers — IDs, Social Security cards, birth and marriage certificates, property titles?
- Is there a will or trust? Where is it, and who is the attorney?
- Where are the keys — house, car, mailbox, storage, the business?
Health & wishes
- If you couldn't speak for yourself, who decides — and what would you want?
- Is there an advance directive or medical power of attorney?
- What does a good goodbye look like to you — burial or cremation, a service or not, faith traditions?
Home & business
- If you were out for a month, how does the household keep running?
- For owners: who could run the business, and do they have the logins, vendors, and a ‘do this first’ list?
People & legacy
- Who should we call first — family, attorney, accountant, employer, close friends?
- What do you want each person to know, or to have?
- Is there a message you'd want delivered — words, a blessing, a story?
Digital life
- Which online accounts matter, and how would a trusted person reach them?
- What should happen to your social media, photos, and email?
Your life's operations manual, ready in an afternoon
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Frequently asked questions
Do we need a lawyer to answer these?
No. These are questions any family can answer at the kitchen table. A lawyer can help with formal documents later.
Where should we keep the answers?
Somewhere safe and easy to update. FamiliaLista keeps them encrypted in one place and delivers them to the people you choose if the day ever comes.
More guides to get your family ready
Who can access your accounts after death, the law's 3-tier priority, and the steps that actually work.Digital inheritance in Mexico
Mexico's digital-legacy law, the 'albacea digital,' and how to leave your accounts ready — plus other countries.What to do when a family member dies: step by step
The list for the first days, weeks, and months — so you're not guessing through the fog.Emergency binder: what to include
Everything your family would need in one place: documents, accounts, insurance, wishes, and access. Printable.How to protect your business if you can't work
If you're out for weeks — or for good — does the business survive? The continuity plan no one tells owners to make.Power of attorney vs. will: what each does
They cover different timelines: a POA for while you're alive but can't act; a will for after.See all guides →
All 18 guides to get your family ready, in one place.