The death binder
One binder.
Everything they'll need.
A death binder is one physical place holding what your family needs when you die: where the will lives, every account listed without its password, the deeds, the policies, the people to call, and what you want. A binder from an office store works. Fill it, tell two people where it is, and touch it once a year.
The contents
What goes in a death binder
Eight sections: where the original will lives and who the executor is; a list of every account and policy (institution and account type, never the password); insurance policies and agent contacts; deeds, titles, and loan statements; the advance directive and power of attorney; a contact list of the people to call, professional and personal; your funeral and disposition wishes in plain words; and a letter of instruction tying it together. The free planning checklist tracks the documents that go in it.
Open the free checklist →The exclusions
What stays out of it
Passwords, PINs, and account numbers paired with logins. Anyone who picks up the binder can read it. Use a password manager's emergency access feature and write only where things are: which manager, whose phone gets the recovery, which drawer holds the backup codes.
The location
Where to keep it, and who to tell
Keep it in one place at home: a file, a drawer, or a fireproof and waterproof safe. If your papers are in a bank safe deposit box, keep copies at home. Then tell someone you trust, or your lawyer, where to find it.
The will
Where to keep the original will
The will your family needs is the one with your original signature, so the binder says exactly where it is. Keep it somewhere safe that someone can reach: a fireproof and waterproof safe at home works. If it's in a bank safe deposit box, keep a copy at home and make sure the person who needs it can get into the box. Tell your executor where it is.
The access plan
Who can open what
Write down who can reach each thing and how: who has the key to the safe, who's named on each bank account, who your health care agent is, and who the password manager's emergency contact is. Set up the legacy settings on your phone and email accounts so the right person gets in without your password. And give your doctor or lawyer permission in advance to talk with the person helping you, which may mean signing their form.
Set up legacy contacts →The digital copy
The digital version: MORTL’s Folder
The Folder is the same idea built as a tool: the map of where everything lives, kept current, shareable with the people you choose. Keep both. Paper survives a dead phone, and the digital copy survives a house fire.
Open The Folder →The narrative
The letter that explains it all
A letter of instruction covers the practical details the legal documents leave out: which plumber, where the spare key is, what the password manager is called, which neighbor has the dog's vet records. It has no legal force.
Write the letter of instruction →The maintenance
Update it once a year
Pick a date you already remember, a birthday or the day the clocks change, and spend twenty minutes: new accounts in, closed accounts out, contacts still right, wishes still true. A binder from 2019 sends your family to a bank you left in 2021.
Run the full planning checklist →Death Binder Questions
Where it goes, what goes in it, who gets in.
What is a death binder?
One physical place holding what your family needs when you die: where the will is, a list of accounts and policies without passwords, deeds and titles, insurance, the advance directive and power of attorney, key contacts, and your wishes. An ordinary binder from an office store works.
What should go in a death binder?
Eight sections: where the will is and who the executor is, an account and policy list, insurance and agents, deeds and titles, the advance directive and power of attorney, a contact list, funeral and disposition wishes, and a letter of instruction. List institutions and account types, never passwords.
Should passwords go in a death binder?
No. Anyone who picks up the binder can read it. Use a password manager's emergency access feature and write only where things are: which manager, who gets access, and where the backup codes are.
Where should I keep my original will?
Somewhere safe that the right person can reach, such as a fireproof and waterproof safe at home. If it's in a bank safe deposit box, keep a copy at home and make sure your executor can get into the box. Write the location in the binder and tell your executor.
How do I give my family access to my accounts after I die?
Not by handing over passwords. Set up the legacy or inactive-account settings on your phone and email accounts and a password manager's emergency access, then write in the binder which accounts are set up and who the contact is.
Set up legacy contacts →Is a death binder the same as a will?
No. The will is a legal document that directs property and nominates an executor and guardians. The binder tells your family where the will is, what exists, and who to call. It has no legal force.
First, make the documents the binder points to.
A perfect binder pointing at documents that don't exist helps nobody. If you haven't made the will, the advance directive, or the power of attorney yet, start with the list of what your family needs.
The documents your family needs →