The short answer
You can leave the person after you the list you may have needed yourself. Write down where everything is, put your own legal papers in order with a lawyer, and tell one person where to look.
None of it has to be perfect, or done this month. Each part can be done on its own, in any order.
This chapter explains how things usually work in the United States. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and the rules where you live may differ. Before you act on anything here, check it with one of the people named at the end of the chapter.
What to do
- Update the master list, marking your own accounts and the phone number for each company.
- Write the page for a hospital stay, and give a copy to the person you choose.
- Seal your passwords in an envelope, and tell one person where it is.
- Book a lawyer to talk about a will, a durable power of attorney and an advance directive.
- Ask about a trusted contact for any brokerage account, and Advance Designation if you receive or are applying for Social Security.
- Tell one person where everything is kept.
- Check it all once a year, on a date you choose.
What can wait
- Perfecting it. A rough list now is better than a perfect one later.
- Typing it up. Handwriting is fine, as long as someone else can read it.
- The legacy settings on your phone and email, if you rarely use them.
- Deciding everything at the first meeting with the lawyer. You can take the questions home and think.
Who can help
An estate lawyer can make the papers with you. Your state or local bar association runs a referral service, found through americanbar.org/directories/lawyer-referral-directory. If money is tight, lsc.gov finds free civil legal aid for people on low incomes.
If you are 60 or over, legal assistance is available through the Area Agency on Aging, regardless of income, assets or ability to pay. The Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116 or eldercare.acl.gov, finds yours. Some states run a legal hotline for older people, and the Area Agency on Aging can tell you whether yours does.
For Advance Designation, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
The rules, phone numbers and web addresses in this book were checked against the agencies’ own pages in October 2026. They change, so check anything you rely on with the office itself.
From Book 4: Everything They Handled
This page has the short answer and the closing lists from chapter 12. The full chapter explains, in plain words, what exists, what to ask, and who can answer. The book covers months 1 to 9.
Hear when the next book is out
Five or six short emails a year at most, and a note when a new book is out. Each one is about something that tends to come up in the first two years. You can unsubscribe whenever you like.