What is a "death file", and what should go in it?

A "death file" sounds grim, but it's one of the kindest things you can leave behind. Some people call it a legacy file, a life admin folder or an "in case of emergency" file. Whatever the name, the idea is simple: one place that tells the people you trust what you have, where it is, and what you'd want.

It isn't a will and it doesn't replace one. It sits alongside your will and fills in everything a will doesn't cover.

Why it matters

When someone dies without one, their family often spends weeks searching drawers, old emails and bank statements, and phoning organisation after organisation, all while grieving. A death file turns that search into a few phone calls.

What to put in it

• A start-here page. Your full name, date of birth, where your will is kept, who your executor is, and who knows about the file.

• Key contacts. Your executor, solicitor, accountant, GP, employer and anyone with a spare key.

• A document map. Where to find your birth and marriage certificates, passport, house deeds, pension statements and insurance policies.

• Money. Each bank, pension and policy provider, and where the paperwork or app details are kept. The last four digits of an account are enough to identify it.

• Debts and regular payments. Your mortgage, loans and cards, and the subscriptions that will need cancelling.

• Digital life. Your devices, email and social media accounts, and whether you use a password manager. It's also worth setting up an Apple Legacy Contact or Google's Inactive Account Manager.

• Home know-how. Where the stopcock and fuse box are, who services the boiler, and bin days. Small things that are surprisingly hard to find out.

• Your wishes. Funeral preferences, care wishes, and your organ donation decision.

• Letters. A few words for the people who matter. Many people say this is the most important part.

What to leave out

Never write full passwords, PINs or bank card numbers in your death file. If it's lost or seen by the wrong person, that information could be misused. Write down where those details can be found instead, such as in a password manager, with a note of where the master details are kept.

Where to keep it

Somewhere secure but findable, such as a locked drawer or a fireproof box at home, with copies of key documents alongside it. If you keep a digital version, store it somewhere password-protected or encrypted. Then tell at least one person you trust that it exists and where it is. A file nobody knows about can't help.

Review it once a year, and after any big change such as a marriage, a new grandchild or a house move.

Start today, not someday

You don't need to finish it in one sitting. Even a completed start-here page makes a real difference.

In Good Order is a fillable, UK-wide organiser that covers everything above in 16 short sections, with links to official guidance for the people who'll use it.

This article is general information, not legal or financial advice.

ndgo edge™ provides financial coaching and education. It does not provide regulated financial advice.