How to complete it

You have two options. Choose whichever is easier for you: Option 1: Word Document A fillable Word version of the Estate & End-of-Life Summary Report was emailed to you when you placed your CLEAR Kit order.

Option 2: Heirloom & Tell Your CLEAR Kit includes complimentary limited access to Heirloom & Tell. You can complete the Estate & End-of-Life Summary Report using its interactive online form, which may make it easier to work through and update your information.

You only need to complete one version.

When you’re finished, print your completed report and place it in this section of your binder.

Good to know

Even if you don’t complete every worksheet in your CLEAR Kit right away, completing this report gives someone a useful starting point and helps them understand what information, accounts, documents, and responsibilities may exist.

When this information may be needed

This report is designed to help someone quickly get oriented if they need to assist you, manage your affairs, or handle your estate.

It can help them identify important people and professionals to contact, understand what types of accounts, assets, insurance, and documents may exist, and determine where they should look for more detailed information.

After a death, it can also provide a practical starting point for estate administration while your executor or other representative locates original documents and works through the more detailed information in your CLEAR Kit.

Why this matters while you are alive

When something happens, one of the first questions is often, “Who needs to know?” Having this information organized can save someone from searching through your phone, email, texts, or old records while they are already dealing with a difficult situation. It also makes it easier for the right people to communicate, coordinate, and help.

Good to know

A name and phone number are helpful. Context makes them much more useful.

Note why each person matters and the role they may be able to play, such as your attorney, accountant, closest friend, neighbor with a spare key, or someone who understands your wishes.

Contact information and relationships change, so review this section periodically and update it when needed.

When this information may be needed

This information can help family, friends, caregivers, or others assisting you quickly identify who should be contacted and who may be able to help.

After a death, it can help your executor or loved ones notify the right people, involve important advisors, coordinate practical support, and identify people who may have useful information about your affairs.

Related resources online

• Key Contacts Log Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

The same identity documents are often needed again and again throughout your life.

You may need them to renew a passport or driver’s license, verify employment eligibility, apply for benefits, update financial records, establish citizenship, or complete other important transactions.

Keeping these records organized and easy to locate can save time and help prevent delays when you need them.

Good to know

Names, birthdates, and other identifying information should be consistent across your records. Even a small discrepancy can create delays or require additional documentation.

If you have changed your name, hold more than one citizenship, or have records that use different versions of your name or other identifying information, keep the supporting documentation with this section or note where it can be found.

For original documents you prefer to keep somewhere more secure, include a copy when appropriate and make sure someone you trust knows where the original is stored.

When this information may be needed

These records can help establish or confirm your legal name, date and place of birth, citizenship, and other identifying information when completing applications, updating records, or dealing with government agencies and financial institutions.

If someone is assisting you, these documents may also help them understand which records exist and where to find the information needed to complete forms or resolve discrepancies.

After a death, identity and citizenship records may be useful when completing government filings, applying for certain survivor benefits, locating records, or confirming information requested by an institution.

Keeping them organized can reduce the need to locate or replace important records at a difficult time.

Related resources online

• Name Change Information Hub
• Vital Records Information Hub
• Social Security Survivor Benefits Information Hub
• Notifying Government Agencies After a Death Information Hub
• What To Do When Someone Dies Checklist
• Unclaimed Property Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Your will is an important part of your estate plan, but it only helps if the correct document can be found.

Keeping the current signed version organized and making sure the appropriate people know where the original is stored can reduce confusion later.

If you die without a valid will, state intestacy law generally determines who receives property that passes through your probate estate.

Good to know

A will does not necessarily control every asset. Property may pass outside probate through beneficiary designations, joint ownership, trusts, or other arrangements.

Make sure someone can locate your original signed will. Probate procedures vary by state, and some courts require the original to be filed.

Avoid keeping revoked or outdated wills with your current will unless your attorney recommends otherwise. If you replace your will, follow your attorney’s instructions for handling prior versions.

When this information may be needed

After your death, the will may need to be submitted to the appropriate probate court before the person named as executor can receive legal authority to administer the estate.

The court-appointed fiduciary can then address property subject to estate administration, valid estate obligations, and distributions under the will and applicable law.

If there is no valid will, state intestacy law generally governs distribution of the probate estate. Some property may still transfer outside probate through beneficiary designations, joint ownership, trusts, or other arrangements.

Related resources online

• Last Will & Testament Information Hub
• How To Create a Simple Will In 10 Steps
• Will Requirements by State Information Hub
• Estate Planning & End-of-Life Glossary

Why this matters while you are alive

Trusts may be used to manage property during your lifetime, provide for beneficiaries, address incapacity, or direct how certain property should be handled after your death.

Keeping the documents and related records organized can help you understand what the trust covers, who serves as trustee or successor trustee, and where someone can find the information needed if the trust must be administered.

Good to know

A trust does not automatically control everything you own.

Whether a particular asset is governed by the trust can depend on how the asset is owned, how beneficiary arrangements are structured, the trust terms, and applicable law. Property held in a living trust can generally pass under the trust rather than through probate.

Keep records showing which assets are connected to the trust and h ow.

A successor trustee does not necessarily take over immediately.

Their authority depends on the trust terms and the event that triggers their role, such as your death, resignation, or incapacity.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you, a trustee, or someone assisting you understand what trusts exist, who is responsible for administering them, and what property may be connected to each trust.

If a successor trustee is called upon to act, they may need the trust documents and related records to determine their authority, identify trust property, work with financial institutions or other professionals, and follow the trust’s instructions.

After your death, trust administration may occur alongside estate administration. Some property may pass under the trust, while other property may be handled through probate or another transfer arrangement.

Related resources online

• Trusts Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets
• Estate Planning & End-of-Life Glossary

Why this matters while you are alive

A serious illness, injury, or medical emergency can leave you unable to make or communicate decisions about your care.

Having clear instructions and a trusted health care agent can help your medical team and loved ones understand what you want, reduce uncertainty, and make it more likely that decisions reflect your wishes and values.

Good to know

Common documents include a Living Will, which describes the medical care and treatments you would or would not want in certain circumstances, and a Medical or Health Care Power of Attorney, which names a health care agent or proxy to make decisions on your behalf.

The names, forms, signing requirements, and authority given to a health care agent vary by state. Some states combine these instructions into one document. Give copies to the people and providers who may need them, and review them after major life changes.

When this information may be needed

These documents are primarily used during your lifetime if you cannot make or communicate your own medical decisions.

Your health care team may use your written instructions to understand your treatment preferences, while your health care agent or proxy may use them to help make decisions consistent with your wishes and values.

Depending on the document and applicable state law, a health care agent may also have authority concerning certain matters after death, such as organ and tissue donation, autopsy, or disposition arrangements.

Related resources online

• Advance Directives Information Hub
• Advance Directive Requirements by State
• Living Wills Information Hub
• Medical Power of Attorney Information Hub
• DNR Information Hub
• POLST & MOLST Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

There may be times when a family member, caregiver, or other trusted person needs information about your health, treatment, insurance, or medical bills but does not otherwise have authority to receive it.

A valid HIPAA authorization can give the people you choose access to the information covered by the authorization, making it easier for them to communicate with providers, understand your care, and help resolve health care or insurance issues.

Good to know

A HIPAA authorization and a Medical Power of Attorney serve different purposes. One allows specified health information to be shared; the other may authorize someone to make health care decisions for you.

HIPAA authorizations must include an expiration date or event and generally remain valid until that occurs or the authorization is revoked. State law may impose additional requirements or limitations. Review your authorization periodically and make sure the people you want to have access are still included.

When this information may be needed

During your lifetime, the people named in your authorization may use it when they need access to health information covered by the document.

HIPAA protections do not simply end when someone dies. Identifiable health information generally remains protected under HIPAA for 50 years after death. During that period, a legally authorized personal representative may exercise certain rights regarding the deceased person’s health information, and HIPAA also permits certain disclosures to family members or others who were involved in the person’s care or payment for care.

Related resources online

• HIPAA Authorization Information Hub
• Medical Power of Attorney Information Hub
• Advance Directives Information Hub
• Medical Records Information Hub
• Estate Planning & End-of-Life Glossary

Why this matters while you are alive

There may be times when you want or need someone else to handle financial matters for you, whether because of illness, incapacity, travel, or another circumstance.

Depending on the authority granted, your agent may be able to pay bills, manage accounts, handle property, file taxes, work with financial institutions, or complete other transactions on your behalf.

Having the document organized and accessible can make it easier for your chosen agent to act when needed.

Good to know

Financial Powers of Attorney vary by state and by document.

Authority may begin immediately or only after a specified event or condition occurs. A durable Power of Attorney can continue to be effective if you become incapacitated.

Your agent has significant authority and a legal duty to act on your behalf, so choose someone you trust and make sure they understand the role.

Financial institutions may also have procedures for reviewing Power of Attorney documents. Consider confirming in advance that the institutions you use have what they need.

When this information may be needed

Your agent may need this document during your lifetime if they are called upon to manage financial or property matters for you. The authority they have, and when they can use it, depends on the terms of the document and applicable law.

A Financial Power of Attorney generally ends when you die. At that point, authority over your estate shifts to the person legally authorized to administer it, such as an executor or personal representative.

Even then, this section can help identify who assisted with your finances and provide context about recent transactions or records.

Related resources online

• Financial Power of Attorney Information Hub
• Power of Attorney Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Donation decisions can be time sensitive, so your wishes should be documented and known to the people closest to you.

Keeping registrations, program information, and instructions organized can help your family and medical team understand what arrangements you have made and avoid confusion at a difficult time.

If you have chosen whole-body donation, your family may need to contact the program promptly after your death.

Good to know

Organ and tissue donation and whole-body donation are not the same. Registering as an organ donor does not automatically enroll you in a whole-body donation program.

Whole-body programs have their own eligibility requirements and procedures, and some may not accept a body after certain organs or tissues have been donated. If you want both, check with the programs involved so you understand what may be possible.

Tell your family about your wishes and where to find any instructions.

When this information may be needed

Organ and tissue donation is coordinated soon after death or when death is imminent. Hospitals work with the appropriate Organ Procurement Organization to determine whether donation is possible and whether legal authorization exists.

Whole-body donation follows a separate process. Your family or other appropriate person may need to notify the program promptly and follow its instructions for determining eligibility and arranging transportation.

Keeping this information together can help the right people quickly understand your wishes and any arrangements you have already made.

Related resources online

• Organ, Tissue, & Body Donation Information Hub
• Advance Directive Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Health insurance affects both access to care and what you may pay for it. Knowing what coverage you have, where it comes from, and who else is covered can make it easier to handle appointments, claims, prescriptions, billing issues, and changes in coverage.

It is especially important to understand whether your coverage depends on someone else’s employment or eligibility, or whether other people depend on your plan for their coverage.

Good to know

Coverage can change after certain life events, including a job change, divorce, loss of dependent status, or the death of the employee or family member through whom coverage is provided.

Depending on the type of plan and circumstances, options may include continuing existing coverage, enrolling in another employer plan, or using a Special Enrollment Period to obtain new coverage. Deadlines can apply, so anyone affected should review their options promptly.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify your current coverage, contact the appropriate insurer or benefits administrator, understand who is covered, and locate important plan information.

If coverage is tied to someone’s employment or family relationship, a death or other qualifying event may affect coverage for a spouse or dependents. Depending on the circumstances, they may have options such as COBRA continuation coverage, special enrollment in another employer plan, or enrollment through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Because deadlines may apply, affected family members should review their options promptly.

Related resources online

• Private Medical Insurance Information Hub
• COBRA Coverage Information
• Health Insurance Marketplace Resources
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Understanding what coverage you have can make it easier to manage care, prescriptions, costs, claims, and changes in your health needs.

Original Medicare includes Part A and Part B. You may also have Part D prescription drug coverage and Medigap supplemental insurance. Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, is an alternative way to receive your Medicare benefits through a Medicare-approved private plan and usually includes Part D coverage.

Good to know

Medicare and Medicaid are separate programs, and some people qualify for both.

Medicaid eligibility and benefits vary by state and can include services Medicare may not cover, including certain long-term care services. If you receive Medicaid, be aware that federal law requires states to seek estate recovery for certain benefits in some circumstances, particularly certain benefits provided after age 55.

Important exceptions and hardship protections apply.

Review your coverage whenever your health, income, residence, or insurance changes.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you understand how your health coverage is structured, identify the plans involved, contact the appropriate program or insurer, and address claims, bills, prescriptions, or coverage questions.

After a death, family members or the person handling your affairs may need this information to address outstanding medical claims, identify coverage that was in effect, or respond to requests involving benefits.

If you received Medicaid, your estate may also need to determine whether your state has a valid estate recovery claim and whether an exception or hardship protection applies.

Related resources online

• Medicare and Medicaid 101 Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

These policies serve different purposes. Life insurance generally provides a benefit after your death. Disability insurance may replace part of your income if an illness or injury prevents you from working. Long-term care insurance may help pay for services if you need ongoing assistance with daily activities or care.

Knowing what coverage exists helps you understand the protection you have and avoid overlooking benefits.

Good to know

Coverage may come from several places, including current or former employers and privately purchased policies.

For life insurance, beneficiary designations generally determine who receives the benefit, so review them after major life changes.

For disability insurance, eligibility and the definition of disability depend on the policy or plan. Long-term care policies also vary significantly in what services they cover, when benefits begin, and how much they pay.

When this information may be needed

Disability or long-term care coverage may become important during your lifetime if illness, injury, or declining health affects your ability to work or care for yourself.

After your death, your beneficiaries may need the life insurance information to identify policies, contact insurers, and submit claims. Keeping clear records can help prevent policies and benefits from being overlooked.

If you receive disability or long-term care benefits, these records can also help someone assisting you understand the coverage, communicate with the insurer, and address any ongoing claims or benefits.

Related resources online

• Life & Disability Insurance Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Social Security can provide retirement income, disability benefits, and benefits for certain family members. Your Social Security Statement can also help you understand your earnings record and estimated future benefits.

Keeping these records organized makes it easier to track what you receive, understand what may be available to you or your family, and address changes or questions with the Social Security Administration.

Good to know

Social Security benefits generally require an application. After a death, certain spouses, former spouses, children, and dependent parents may qualify for survivor benefits based on the deceased person’s work record. Eligibility depends on the circumstances.

Social Security retirement and disability benefits are not payable for the month of death. Because benefits are paid for the prior month, a payment received after death may still need to be returned if it represents the month of death. SSI works differently: the payment for the month of death may be retained, but later payments must be returned.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you understand what benefits you receive, identify important Social Security records, and address questions or changes with the Social Security Administration.

After a death, the funeral home will often report the death to Social Security, but eligible survivors may still need to contact SSA and apply for survivor benefits. Survivor benefits are not currently available through an online application.

Keeping these records organized can also help identify family members who may qualify for benefits and reduce the chance that payments received after death are handled incorrectly.

Related resources online

• Social Security Benefits Information Hub
• Social Security Survivor Benefits
• Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Important parts of your life may exist only online. Without instructions, the people handling your affairs may not know what matters, what should be saved, or what you would prefer to have deleted.

A digital legacy plan gives them direction and helps protect important memories, information, creative work, and other digital property from being overlooked or handled in a way you would not want.

Good to know

A digital legacy plan is about your wishes, not storing passwords.

Some services offer tools such as legacy contacts or memorialization settings, while access to other accounts may depend on the provider’s procedures, applicable law, and the authority of the person making the request. Apple, for example, allows users to designate Legacy Contacts for certain account data.

Use Section 15 for access and authentication information and Section 16 for your inventory of email and online accounts.

When this information may be needed

After your death, the people handling your affairs can use this plan to understand what you want done with your digital accounts and property.

Some accounts may be preserved or memorialized, others may need to be closed, and important photos, files, websites, or creative work may need to be saved or transferred.

The ability of an executor, trustee, agent, or other fiduciary to access digital assets can depend on applicable law, the service provider, and directions you established through the account or your estate plan.

The Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act addresses fiduciary access to digital accounts in adopting states.

Related resources online

• Digital Life & Online Accounts Information Hub
• How To Close Online Accounts

Why this matters while you are alive

Digital accounts increasingly depend on more than a username and password. Losing access to a phone, authentication app, recovery email, passkey, or security key can lock you out even when you know the password.

Organizing your access methods can help you recover accounts, strengthen your security, and make sure important accounts do not become inaccessible when circumstances change.

Good to know

Avoid creating an unsecured list of passwords, recovery codes, or other credentials. Instead, document the secure system you use and how an authorized person can access it when appropriate.

Password managers can store unique passwords and may offer emergency access or recovery features. Passkeys and hardware security keys can provide stronger protection against phishing, but someone may also need to know where the device or key is kept.

This section explains how access works. Use Section 16 to record which accounts exist.

When this information may be needed

You may need this information anytime you lose access to an account, replace a device, change authentication methods, or need help managing your digital life.

If someone is legally authorized to assist with your affairs or administer your estate, this information can help them understand what access methods exist and where appropriate recovery or authentication tools are located.

Possessing a password, device, or security key does not by itself establish authority to access an account. The person acting should follow the account provider’s procedures and applicable law.

Related resources online

• Password Manager & Account Access Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Online accounts can contain important records, photos, documents, stored value, subscriptions, and information needed to manage other parts of your life.

Keeping an account inventory can help you spot unused accounts, update contact or payment information, and understand where important information is stored. It also gives someone assisting you a clearer map of the digital accounts that may require attention.

Good to know

This section is an inventory, not a password list. Record the accounts that exist and enough context to understand their purpose, but keep passwords, recovery codes, passkeys, and other authentication information in the secure system described in Section 15.

Some services also offer legacy, memorialization, or account-deletion tools. If you use one, note that here and make sure your Digital Legacy Plan in Section 14 reflects what you want to happen. Provider tools and permissions can vary significantly.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify the online accounts connected to your finances, records, subscriptions, communications, photos, and other parts of your life.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to determine which accounts should be preserved, memorialized, transferred, or closed and follow each provider’s procedures.

Access to account content is not automatic. The authority of an executor, trustee, agent, or other fiduciary can depend on applicable law, the account provider, and any directions or consent you previously established.

Related resources online

• Digital Life & Online Accounts Information Hub
• How To Close Accounts When Someone Dies Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Your devices can contain or provide access to photos, documents, communications, financial apps, passwords, passkeys, and other important information.

Your phone number may also be used to verify your identity or receive security codes. Keeping track of your devices and phone plans can help you manage security, replace lost equipment, and understand which devices or services are important to keep active.

Good to know

A device can be important even when the information itself is stored somewhere else. Phones and computers may be used to approve logins, receive authentication codes, or access password managers and cloud accounts.

Avoid putting device passcodes or other sensitive credentials directly in an unsecured worksheet. Instead, record where authorized access instructions are securely stored.

Use Section 15 for authentication and access methods and Section 16 for your inventory of online accounts.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify your devices, understand which services and phone numbers are connected to them, and determine where important data or access tools may be located.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to secure devices, preserve important files, address outstanding device payments, or eventually cancel or transfer phone and data services.

Because a phone or phone number may still be used for account recovery or authentication, it can be helpful to understand what depends on it before a device is erased or service is canceled.

Related resources online

• Digital Life & Online Accounts Information Hub
• How To Access a Phone After Someone Dies

Why this matters while you are alive

Knowing where your income comes from helps you understand your household cash flow and how dependent you or others may be on particular sources.

It can also help you identify income that is irregular, easy to overlook, or tied to a specific job, person, property, investment, or benefit.

That becomes especially important if your circumstances change.

Good to know

Different income sources may behave differently after retirement, incapacity, or death. Some may continue, some may stop, and others may change or require someone to take action before payments continue.

Focus on identifying each source, how often it is received, and enough information to understand where it comes from.

This section is about income coming in, not your complete financial account inventory. Keep detailed bank and investment account information in Section 19.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you understand which income sources are expected, how frequently they arrive, and which organizations or people may need to be contacted if circumstances change.

After a death, some income may stop while other payments, benefits, or distributions may continue or change. Someone handling your affairs may need to notify payers, determine whether future payments are expected, and identify any payments received after death that require further review.

A clear income map also helps your family understand near-term household cash flow while other financial matters are being sorted out.

Related resources online

• Financial Literacy for Spouses Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Financial accounts can accumulate across different banks, employers, advisors, and investment firms over time.

Keeping them organized can help you monitor your finances, review beneficiary designations, prepare for taxes, and avoid losing track of older or inactive accounts that may still hold money or investments.

It also makes it easier to see your overall financial picture when circumstances change.

Good to know

How an account is handled after death can depend on how it is titled and whether a beneficiary, joint owner, or other transfer arrangement applies.

A will does not necessarily control every financial account.

Beneficiary designations and other account arrangements may determine who receives certain assets.

Review account ownership and beneficiary information periodically, particularly after major life changes. Keep enough information here to identify each account, but avoid unnecessarily recording passwords or other sensitive access credentials.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify your accounts, understand where money and investments are held, and contact the appropriate financial institutions or advisors.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to determine how each account is owned, whether a beneficiary or surviving joint owner is involved, and what documentation the institution requires.

Some accounts may transfer outside the probate estate, while others may become part of the estate. Clear records can help prevent accounts from being overlooked and make it easier to obtain statements, address ongoing transactions, and follow the institution’s process for transferring or closing an account.

Related resources online

• Bank & Financial Accounts Information Hub
• Investments, Retirement Accounts, & Benefits Information Hub
• Financial Literacy for Spouses Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Credit cards can be connected to automatic payments, subscriptions, travel reservations, rewards programs, and everyday household expenses.

Keeping track of your accounts can help you monitor charges, identify unused cards, manage recurring payments, and understand which accounts other household members rely on.

It can also make fraudulent or unfamiliar activity easier to spot.

Good to know

A joint account holder and an authorized user are not the same.

Responsibility for an outstanding balance depends on the account arrangement and applicable law. An authorized user generally is not responsible for the debt solely because they were permitted to use the card.

Rewards points and other benefits may also be handled differently after death depending on the card issuer or rewards program.

Review your accounts periodically and close cards you no longer need when appropriate.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify active credit card accounts, recurring charges, payment arrangements, and rewards programs.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to notify card issuers, prevent new or unauthorized charges, review recurring payments, and determine how any outstanding balance should be handled through the estate.

Credit card debt does not automatically become a family member’s personal responsibility. Liability can depend on whether someone else is a joint account holder, co-signer, or otherwise legally responsible under applicable law.

Related resources online

• How To Close Credit Cards & Bank Accounts Information Hub
• Credit Cards Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Recurring payments are easy to overlook because many happen automatically.

Keeping them organized helps you understand your ongoing financial commitments, identify unnecessary expenses, and make sure important bills are not missed when a card, bank account, address, or other payment information changes.

It also provides a clearer picture of what it costs to keep your household operating.

Good to know

Not every recurring payment has the same priority. Housing, utilities, insurance, caregiving, and other essential obligations may need attention before subscriptions or optional services.

Note which payments are important to keep active and which may eventually be canceled.

Also identify how each payment is made, such as automatic bank withdrawal, credit card, or manual payment, without unnecessarily recording full account numbers or other sensitive information.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you understand what bills are expected, when they are due, and how they are currently paid.

If you become unable to manage your finances, it can help the appropriate person keep important household obligations from being overlooked.

After your death, the person handling your affairs or a surviving household member can use the list to identify payments that may need to continue temporarily, payments that should be reviewed, and services that may eventually be canceled. Not every automatic payment should be stopped immediately.

Related resources online

• Expenses & Recurring Payments Information Hub
• Financial Literacy for Spouses Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Decisions about disposition and funeral arrangements often need to be made soon after a death.

Writing down your preferences gives your family a clearer understanding of what you want and can reduce uncertainty when they are making difficult decisions quickly.

It also helps make sure existing cemetery plots, prepaid arrangements, contracts, or other plans are not overlooked.

Good to know

Don’t make your binder the only place your wishes are known.

Tell the people who are likely to be involved that you have written instructions and where they can find them.

If you have purchased a cemetery plot, reserved a niche, prepaid for funeral services, or made arrangements with a funeral home or other provider, keep the related records here.

Review your instructions if your preferences, relationships, residence, or arrangements change.

When this information may be needed

This information may be needed soon after your death, when family members or others responsible for your arrangements are making decisions about disposition, funeral services, and your final resting place.

It can help them understand your preferences, identify arrangements you have already made, locate cemetery or cremation records, and contact the appropriate funeral home, cemetery, or other provider.

Clear instructions can reduce guesswork and help prevent an existing plot, prepaid arrangement, reservation, or other plan from being overlooked.

Related resources online

• Final Resting Place Instructions Information Hub
• End-of-Life Pathway

Why this matters while you are alive

Family information can be useful for everything from medical history and vital records requests to citizenship research, genealogy, and completing forms that ask about parents or other relatives.

It also preserves something more personal. Names, relationships, places, stories, and family context are easily lost when the people who know them are no longer around to explain them.

Recording what you know gives future generations a stronger starting point.

Good to know

Families do not always fit neatly into a traditional family tree.

Adoption, stepfamilies, half-siblings, chosen family, estrangement, name changes, and other relationships may all be important parts of your story.

Record the facts you know, but also preserve the context that helps someone understand them.

Letters, photographs, journals, recordings, genealogy reports, and family stories can all add meaning beyond names and dates.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or your family answer questions about relationships, ancestry, vital records, family history, and other background information.

After your death, it can give loved ones a reliable source for names, relationships, places, and stories that might otherwise be difficult to reconstruct.

It may also be useful when preparing an obituary or memorial, locating relatives, continuing genealogy research, or preserving family history for future generations.

Related resources online

• Genealogy & Heritage Information Hub
• Vital Records Information Hub
• Obituaries Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Marriage and partnership status can affect taxes, benefits, property rights, insurance, and other financial or legal matters.

These records may be needed when changing your name, updating accounts or benefits, remarrying, applying for government benefits, or confirming when and how a prior marriage or partnership ended.

Keeping them together can save time when proof of a relationship or its termination is required.

Good to know

Prior relationships can remain relevant long after they end. For example, a former spouse may qualify for certain Social Security benefits based on the length of the marriage and other eligibility requirements.

Review beneficiary designations, estate planning documents, insurance coverage, and other important records after marriage, divorce, separation, or the beginning or end of a legally recognized partnership.

Keep final divorce decrees and other records showing how a legal relationship ended.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you confirm your current or prior legal relationships and locate the documents connected to them.

After your death, these records may be relevant when determining who should be notified, reviewing benefits or claims, confirming marital history, or addressing property and financial matters connected to a spouse, former spouse, or legally recognized partner.

Prior marriages can also matter when evaluating eligibility for certain survivor benefits, so records showing when a marriage began and ended may be important.

Related resources online

• Marriages & Civil Partnerships Information Hub
• Name Change Information Hub
• Financial Literacy for Spouses Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Information about your children and dependents can be important for medical care, school records, benefits, beneficiary designations, estate planning, and guardianship or custody matters.

Keeping these records organized can also help you make sure your estate plan reflects your current family structure and that important documents stay up to date as circumstances change.

Good to know

Not every dependent is a minor child. An adult dependent or another person who relies on your support may also require planning.

Consider what someone would need to understand about each person’s care, financial support, medical needs, and existing legal arrangements if you were suddenly unable to help.

Custody, guardianship, adoption, and support arrangements can involve important legal documents, so keep the relevant records here and review them when family circumstances change.

When this information may be needed

This information can help family members, caregivers, or others assisting you understand who depends on you and identify important records relating to their care and support.

If you become unable to provide care or make decisions, existing custody, guardianship, medical, school, and support information may become especially important.

After your death, the people handling your affairs may also need these records to address benefits, accounts, support arrangements, or other matters involving your children or dependents.

Related resources online

• Children Information Hub
• Special Needs Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Pets may need someone to step in with little or no notice if you are hospitalized, traveling unexpectedly, or otherwise unable to care for them.

Clear information can help a temporary caregiver understand their routine, medications, medical needs, veterinarian, and other important details.

It also gives you a place to think through who could care for your pets longer term if your circumstances permanently change.

Good to know

Choosing a caregiver is only part of the plan. Make sure that person knows about the arrangement and is willing and able to take responsibility for your pet.

If you want to provide money for a pet’s future care, your estate plan may need to include an appropriate arrangement, such as funds left to a caregiver or a pet trust.

Keep care instructions current, especially when medications, veterinary providers, feeding routines, or your preferred caregiver change.

When this information may be needed

This information can help a family member, friend, or other caregiver quickly understand how to care for your pets if you are unavailable.

After your death, the person handling your affairs and your chosen caregiver may need to coordinate immediate care, contact the veterinarian, locate medications and records, update microchip information, and make longer-term arrangements.

Clear instructions can make the transition easier and help ensure that important medical, behavioral, financial, and day-to-day care needs are not overlooked.

Related resources online

• Pet Legacy & Care Information Hub
• Pet Insurance Information Hub
• Pet Trusts Information Hub
• What To Do After Your Pet Dies Checklist
• How to Transfer Pet Ownership to a New Caregiver
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Beliefs and traditions can influence holidays, medical care, end-of-life decisions, family practices, and the communities you turn to for support.

Writing down what matters to you gives family members, caregivers, and others clearer guidance instead of leaving them to make assumptions.

It can also help ensure that your estate and end-of-life planning reflect your values.

Good to know

Be specific about both what you want and what you do not want.

You may want certain prayers, rituals, foods, clothing, clergy, community members, or traditions included. You may also have practices associated with your religion, culture, or family that you do not personally want followed.

If there is a faith leader, spiritual advisor, family member, or community contact who can help explain your traditions, identify that person here.

When this information may be needed

This information can help family members, caregivers, or others understand religious, spiritual, cultural, or personal practices that matter to you during serious illness, end-of-life care, or other important moments.

After your death, loved ones may use it when planning a funeral, memorial, burial, cremation, or other observance.

Clear instructions can help them involve the appropriate people, honor traditions that are meaningful to you, and avoid practices you would not want included.

Related resources online

• Religious & Cultural End-of-Life Traditions Information Hub
• Funeral Planning Information Hub
• End-of-Life Pathway
• Celebration of Life Information Hub
• Organ, Tissue, & Body Donation Information Hub
• Ethical Will & Legacy Messaging Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Military records may be needed to establish service history and eligibility for certain benefits and programs, including V A health care, disability compensation, education benefits, and other federal or state benefits.

Keeping these records organized can make it easier to apply for benefits, address claims, and locate important service information when you need it.

Good to know

Your DD Form 214 or other separation documents are among the most commonly needed records for establishing military service and obtaining veterans benefits. If you do not have a copy, military service records can generally be requested through the National Archives.

These records may also be important when determining eligibility for veterans burial benefits, memorial items, or military funeral honors.

Do not routinely photocopy a DoD identification card for this section. Federal law and DoD regulations restrict unauthorized reproduction of DoD ID cards.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you establish your military service, locate benefit records, and address claims or other matters involving the V A or military-related programs.

After your death, military service records may be needed to determine eligibility for burial in a veterans cemetery, military funeral honors, memorial benefits, burial allowances, or other benefits available to eligible survivors. A DD214 or other discharge record is commonly used when applying for these benefits.

Keeping these records organized can also help your family accurately understand and preserve your military service history.

Related resources online

• Military Service Records & DD-214
• Veterans End-of-Life Benefits Information Hub
• Notifying Government Agencies After a Death Information Hub
• Social Security Survivor Benefits Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Memberships can be more than a name on a list. Some organizations provide insurance coverage, discounts, scholarships, member services, access to records, or other benefits.

Keeping your affiliations organized can help you use the benefits available to you, manage renewals, update your information, and understand recurring charges connected to memberships.

It also creates a record of the communities and organizations that matter to you.

Good to know

Some memberships may connect to financial accounts, insurance programs, donor records, volunteer histories, or other benefits.

Certain organizations may also maintain beneficiary information or offer benefits after a member’s death.

Your affiliations can also provide useful context about your interests, service, and community connections.

Note why each membership matters, any role you hold, and whether the organization should be contacted if something happens to you.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify memberships, understand available benefits, manage renewals, and contact the appropriate organizations.

After your death, loved ones or the person handling your affairs may need to notify organizations, cancel memberships, address recurring charges, request available member benefits, or provide an obituary or status update.

Some organizations may also offer support, memorial traditions, or other ways to recognize a member.

Clear records can help make sure important groups are notified and available benefits are not overlooked.

Related resources online

• Notification Templates

Why this matters while you are alive

Your medical information may be spread across different doctors, health systems, apps, pharmacies, and paper records.

Keeping a current summary can help you communicate your medical history more easily and give family members or caregivers useful information if they are helping with your care or you cannot communicate for yourself.

Good to know

A medical summary does not need to contain every appointment or test result.

Focus on the information someone would need to understand your health quickly, including current medications and allergies, major diagnoses, significant surgeries or hospitalizations, ongoing treatment, and other important medical history.

Review this section periodically, especially after a new diagnosis, medication change, hospitalization, or other significant change in your health.

When this information may be needed

This information may be especially useful during a medical emergency, hospitalization, new medical appointment, or other situation where someone needs to understand your health history quickly.

Family members or caregivers may also use it when helping coordinate your care or locate more detailed medical records.

After your death, medical information is not usually central to estate administration, but it may help family members understand your recent care or locate records that may be relevant to insurance claims or benefits.

Related resources online

• Medical Providers & History Information Hub
• Medicare and Medicaid 101

Why this matters while you are alive

Medical care is often spread across multiple providers and health systems.

Keeping a clear provider list can help you coordinate appointments, identify who manages different aspects of your health, and know whom to contact when questions arise.

It can also be especially useful if a family member, caregiver, or health care agent needs to help coordinate your care.

Good to know

A provider name is much more useful when it includes context.

Instead of simply listing “Dr. Smith,” note that Dr. Smith is your cardiologist, manages a specific condition, or prescribes an important medication.

Medical records and patient portals may be maintained separately by each provider or health system. Keep passwords and other access credentials in the secure system identified in Section 15, not in this section.

Your HIPAA authorization in Section 7 can help identify who you have authorized to receive specified health information.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you, a caregiver, or someone assisting with your medical care identify the right provider and understand which professional manages each part of your health.

During an illness, hospitalization, or emergency, it can make it easier to contact providers, coordinate care, and locate medical records or treatment information.

After your death, family members or the person handling your affairs may also need to identify providers when addressing medical bills, insurance matters, or requests for medical records. Access to protected medical information depends on applicable law and the authority of the person making the request.

Related resources online

• Medical Providers & History Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Keeping this history organized can make it easier to complete applications, verify credentials, renew professional licenses, update a resume, or reconstruct dates and details you may not remember years later.

Past employment information can also provide useful clues when looking for older retirement accounts, benefits, or unclaimed property connected to a former employer.

Good to know

Career and education records have personal value as well as practical value.

A resume or CV may capture the facts, but it rarely tells the whole story. Consider preserving important accomplishments, projects, mentors, awards, photographs, news clippings, and stories that help explain what your work and education meant to you.

Use Section 42 for benefits connected to your current employer.

This section is primarily your broader education and career history.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you verify education, employment history, professional credentials, and other important details about your career.

After your death, loved ones may use these records when preparing an obituary or memorial, documenting your accomplishments, or preserving your personal history.

Information about former employers may also help identify older retirement accounts, benefits, or unclaimed property that might otherwise be overlooked. Current employer benefits should be addressed using the information in Section 42.

Related resources online

• Career & Education Information Hub
• Obituaries Information Hub
• Unclaimed Property Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Your address history may be needed for applications, background checks, insurance matters, government forms, and other verification processes.

Past addresses can also help you locate older accounts, benefits, tax records, or unclaimed property connected to places you previously lived.

Keeping the information together saves time when you need to remember where you lived and when.

Good to know

Past addresses can provide important clues when searching for forgotten money or property. Unclaimed property may include old bank accounts, utility deposits, insurance refunds, uncashed checks, or other assets eventually transferred to a state.

Your residence history is also part of your personal story.

Homes can be connected to relationships, milestones, memories, photographs, schools, jobs, and other important parts of your life.

Include approximate dates when exact dates are not available.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you reconstruct your address history and identify records, accounts, benefits, or other matters connected to prior residences.

After your death, past addresses may help the person handling your affairs search for older accounts, tax records, insurance benefits, or possible unclaimed property.

Your residence timeline can also help loved ones understand the chronology of your life and provide useful details when preparing an obituary, memorial, or family history.

Related resources online

• Credit Report Information Hub
• Unclaimed Property Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Legal and financial documents explain what should happen. They usually do not explain what you believe, what you learned, or what you hope the people you love will remember.

These messages give you a chance to provide that context in your own voice and preserve parts of yourself that may never appear in a formal estate plan.

Good to know

An ethical will does not need to be long, formal, or polished. A page, letter, recording, or short video can be meaningful.

You can create different messages for different people or one message for everyone. You can also update, replace, or add to them whenever you want.

If a message should be delivered at a particular time or to a particular person, make those instructions clear.

When this information may be needed

These messages may be shared during your lifetime or preserved for loved ones to receive after your death, depending on your wishes.

They can help the people you care about understand what mattered to you, hear your perspective in your own words, and preserve stories, advice, values, and memories that might otherwise be lost.

Written, audio, and video messages can also become lasting keepsakes that family members return to long after the legal and administrative work is finished.

Related resources online

• Ethical Will & Legacy Messaging Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

These orders are designed to give health care professionals clear, actionable instructions when treatment decisions may need to be made quickly.

Not everyone needs a POLST, MOLST, or similar order. These forms are generally intended for people with serious illness or advanced frailty and should be discussed with an appropriate health care professional.

Good to know

These medical orders are different from an advance directive. An advance directive provides broader instructions and may name someone to make health care decisions for you. A DNR, POLST, MOLST, or similar form provides medical orders that can be followed in the appropriate circumstances.

Names and requirements vary by state. POLST programs may also use names such as MOLST, POST, MOST, or other terminology.

Most importantly, don’t keep the only copy in this binder. Make sure the order is accessible where emergency responders or medical providers can find it and that the appropriate people know it exists.

When this information may be needed

These orders are used during your lifetime when health care professionals need to understand and follow specific treatment instructions, particularly during a medical emergency or serious illness.

Because they may need to be found quickly, the appropriate order should be accessible where you receive care, not stored only in your CLEAR Kit. Depending on the setting and state, copies may also be kept with your medical records, caregivers, or in an electronic registry.

These orders no longer direct medical treatment after your death.

Related resources online

• Do Not Resuscitate Directive Information Hub
• POLST & MOLST Information Hub
• Advance Directives Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Real property often involves multiple ongoing responsibilities, including mortgage or rent payments, taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, and repairs.

Keeping these records together can help you manage each property and make it easier for someone you authorize to step in if you are unable to handle those responsibilities yourself.

It also creates a clearer picture of what property interests you have and where the related documents are located.

Good to know

How a property is owned can affect what happens to it after a death, but the answer is not always obvious from the property address or who lives there.

The deed, ownership structure, trust documents, beneficiary arrangements where permitted, and applicable state law may all matter.

Keep the current deed or other ownership records with this section, along with information about any mortgage, lease, co-owner, or trust connected to the property. If ownership changes, update this section so it reflects the current arrangement.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify each property, understand ongoing obligations, and locate the records needed to manage, insure, maintain, or secure it.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to determine how each property is owned, what loans or expenses remain, and what legal or administrative steps are required.

Clear records can also help with utilities, insurance, taxes, maintenance, leases, and communication with co-owners or property managers while longer-term decisions are being made.

Related resources online

• Primary Residence Information Hub
• Home Improvement Log Information Hub
• Estate Sale and Relocation Information Hub
• How To Transfer Real Estate After Someone Dies
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Vehicles and similar property come with ongoing responsibilities, including registration, insurance, maintenance, inspections, loan or lease payments, and renewals.

Keeping the records together can help you stay current on those obligations and make it easier for someone you authorize to locate, move, maintain, or manage the property if you cannot do so yourself.

Good to know

Ownership and transfer requirements can vary depending on the type of property, how it is titled, where it is registered, and applicable state law.

Keep current titles, registrations, loan or lease information, and insurance records with this section.

Also make sure someone you trust knows where keys, fobs, and other items needed to access or move the property are located.

If a vehicle or boat is financed or leased, note that clearly so the ongoing obligation is not overlooked.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify, insure, maintain, secure, or move your vehicles, boats, and other recreational property.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to locate the property, determine how it is titled, identify any loan or lease, maintain appropriate insurance, and follow the required process for a sale, transfer, return, or other disposition.

Clear records can help prevent property from being overlooked and make it easier to address ongoing payments, registration, storage, and maintenance while decisions are being made.

Related resources online

• Vehicle Transfer After Death Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

The value or significance of an item may not be obvious to anyone else.

Keeping an inventory can help you understand what you own, document items for insurance or appraisal purposes, and preserve information about where something came from and why it matters.

It can also help prevent meaningful or valuable belongings from being overlooked, misplaced, or accidentally discarded.

Good to know

An inventory helps identify your belongings, but it does not by itself determine who legally receives them after your death.

If you want a particular person to receive a specific item, make sure your estate planning documents use an appropriate method for expressing that wish.

Photos, descriptions, appraisals, receipts, provenance, and stories can all be useful. For sentimental items, even a short note explaining why something matters can preserve context that would otherwise be lost.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify important belongings, locate supporting records, manage insurance, or arrange an appraisal when needed.

After your death, it can help the person handling your affairs distinguish valuable, sentimental, or historically important items from ordinary household property.

Clear records can also make it easier to understand an item’s history and significance before decisions are made about storage, appraisal, distribution, donation, or sale. Any legal distribution should follow your estate planning documents and applicable law.

Related resources online

• Personal Item Inventory Information Hub
• Estate Sale and Relocation Information Hub
• Genealogy & Heritage Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Firearms and certain other items may be subject to federal, state, or local rules governing possession, storage, transportation, and transfer.

Keeping accurate records can help you manage insurance, locate important documentation, and understand what requirements may apply if you move, sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of an item.

Good to know

Do not assume that another person can legally take possession of, move, or transfer a firearm simply because you own it or have named that person in your estate plan. The rules can depend on the item, where the people involved live, and applicable federal, state, and local law.

Certain firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act have additional federal registration and transfer requirements.

Document where items and relevant records are located, but do not put safe combinations, access codes, or other security credentials in an unsecured worksheet.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone appropriately authorized identify firearms and regulated items, locate related documentation, and understand where the items are securely stored.

After your death, the person legally authorized to handle your property may need to secure and account for these items and determine what rules apply before they are moved, transferred, sold, or otherwise disposed of.

Some items, including firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act, require specific federal procedures. State and local requirements may also apply, so the appropriate person should confirm the rules before taking possession or arranging a transfer.

Related resources online

• Firearms & Weapons Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

These spaces may hold important documents, valuables, sentimental belongings, backup records, or other property that is not kept at home.

Keeping the information organized can help you avoid missed payments, locate important items, and make sure someone you trust knows these spaces exist if you are unable to manage them yourself.

Good to know

Access rules can differ significantly between a storage facility, private safe, and bank safe deposit box.

After a death or incapacity, access may depend on the rental agreement, financial institution procedures, applicable law, and the authority of the person requesting access.

Record where keys, access cards, or other access information are securely kept, but do not place combinations, PINs, or other sensitive credentials directly in an unsecured worksheet.

An inventory can also help identify what should be found before a unit or box is closed.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone appropriately authorized identify storage locations, maintain necessary payments, and locate important property or records.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to determine what authority and documentation are required to access a storage unit, safe deposit box, or other secured location.

Clear records can help prevent property from being overlooked and make it easier to identify what is stored there before deciding whether a unit or account should be maintained, emptied, transferred, or closed.

Related resources online

• Safe, Safety Deposit, & Hidden Property Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Most people have at least a few things whose location makes perfect sense to them but would never be obvious to someone else.

Keeping a simple record can help you remember what you have, document valuables for insurance or appraisal purposes, and reduce the risk that important property is lost, forgotten, or accidentally discarded.

Good to know

This section is about property that may be hard to find, not storage accounts or facilities. Use Section 40 for storage units, safe deposit boxes, and similar locations.

Describe what exists and where it can be found without unnecessarily exposing sensitive security information.

If an item is kept in a locked safe or encrypted device, note its location and where authorized access instructions are securely stored. Do not place combinations, PINs, encryption keys, or other credentials directly in an unsecured worksheet.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone appropriately authorized locate property that might otherwise be difficult to find.

After your death, the person handling your affairs can use it to identify cash, valuables, documents, digital storage devices, and sentimental belongings before a home is cleaned out, sold, or its contents are distributed.

Clear information can reduce the risk that something valuable or meaningful is mistaken for ordinary household property, discarded, or simply never discovered.

Related resources online

• Safe, Safety Deposit, & Hidden Property Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Benefits can represent a significant part of your financial picture, but the rules are often spread across plan documents, employment agreements, benefit portals, and award notices.

Keeping these records together can help you understand what you have, review beneficiaries, track vesting, and identify what may change if you leave a job, retire, become disabled, or experience another major life event.

Good to know

Employment benefits do not all work the same way. Some may end when employment ends, while vested retirement benefits or other rights may remain. The plan documents and Summary Plan Description explain how covered retirement and health plans operate and what benefits are available.

Equity awards and deferred compensation can have their own vesting, payment, forfeiture, or exercise rules. Review the actual plan and award documents rather than assuming a benefit will continue after employment ends.

Keep current beneficiary information with the related benefit records and review it after major life changes.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you understand benefits and compensation connected to your employment or contractual relationships.

It may become especially important when you change jobs, retire, become unable to manage your affairs, or need to make a claim under a benefit plan.

After your death, the person handling your affairs or your beneficiaries may need to contact employers and plan administrators, identify retirement or insurance benefits, address final compensation or deferred payments, and determine what documentation is required. Whether a benefit is payable, and to whom, depends on the applicable plan, agreement, beneficiary designation, and other governing rules.

Related resources online

• Investments, Retirement Accounts, & Benefits Information Hub

Why this matters while you are alive

Money owed to you is part of your financial picture, but it can be easy to overlook, especially when an arrangement is informal.

Keeping clear records can help you track payments, confirm the remaining balance, understand the repayment terms, and locate documentation if questions or disagreements arise.

It also makes these amounts easier for someone else to identify if they ever need to help manage your finances.

Good to know

Informal loans are especially easy to lose track of. Keep any written agreement, promissory note, payment history, correspondence, or other documentation that explains what is owed and why.

If you intend to forgive a debt, either during your lifetime or at your death, do not rely solely on a note in this section. Make sure your wishes are documented in a legally appropriate way.

Update the outstanding balance as payments are made so this section remains useful.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify money you are entitled to receive, understand the terms of an arrangement, and determine whether payments are current.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to identify outstanding amounts, review the supporting documentation, determine what remains payable, and take appropriate steps on behalf of your estate.

If you intended for a debt to be forgiven or handled differently after your death, the legally effective documents governing that instruction should be reviewed rather than assuming the debt can simply be waived.

Related resources online

• Debts & Loans Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Knowing what you owe helps you manage payments, understand your overall financial picture, and avoid losing track of obligations spread across different lenders or accounts.

Keeping the information organized can also help you identify which debts are individual, jointly held, secured by property, or connected to automatic payments.

It makes it easier for someone appropriately authorized to understand your obligations if they ever need to help manage your finances.

Good to know

Keep recent statements or other records showing the lender, approximate balance, payment schedule, and enough information to identify each obligation.

After a death, debts do not all receive identical treatment.

Debts that remain payable are generally addressed through the estate according to applicable law, while another person may be responsible if they separately share legal responsibility for the debt. Family members do not automatically inherit a debt simply because they are related to the person who died.

Review the actual loan or account documents before making assumptions about what happens to a particular obligation.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you identify outstanding obligations, understand payment arrangements, and locate the appropriate lender or creditor.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to identify valid debts, review supporting records, notify creditors when appropriate, and determine how claims should be handled through the estate.

Being an executor, administrator, or other personal representative does not by itself make someone personally responsible for your debts. Liability can depend on factors such as co-signing, joint responsibility, and applicable state law.

Related resources online

• Debts & Loans Information Hub
• Dealing With Debt After Death Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

A business may involve ownership rights, contracts, employees, clients, taxes, intellectual property, banking, insurance, and ongoing obligations that are not obvious to anyone outside the business.

Keeping the important records organized can help you understand your interests, coordinate with partners and advisors, and make plans for what should happen if you become unable to work or manage the business.

Good to know

Business continuity can matter just as much as business value.

Identify the people who would need to know if you suddenly could not participate and make sure important governing documents can be located.

Operating agreements, shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, partnership agreements, and equity documents may affect what happens to your interest after incapacity or death. The result depends on the governing documents, ownership structure, and applicable law.

If the business depends heavily on you, consider what information someone would need to keep essential operations moving while longer-term decisions are made.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone appropriately authorized understand your ownership interests, locate governing documents, and identify the partners, advisors, employees, or other people who may need to be involved.

If you become unable to participate in the business, these records can help others understand what authority exists and what immediate obligations may require attention.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to coordinate with the business and your advisors, review the governing documents, determine how your interest should be valued or handled, and address any estate-related rights or obligations connected to the business.

Related resources online

• Business Interests & Succession Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Insurance policies are often spread across different companies, agents, accounts, and renewal schedules.

Keeping a central record can help you understand what coverage you have, manage renewals and claims, identify possible gaps or overlap, and quickly locate the right insurer when something happens.

Detailed property, vehicle, or pet records may also appear in the related CLEAR Kit sections.

Good to know

Think of this section as your non-medical insurance index.

Keep enough information here to identify each policy and where the complete records can be found. Review your coverage periodically and after major changes such as moving, buying or selling property, adding a vehicle, or acquiring valuable belongings.

If a policy covers property that is addressed elsewhere in your CLEAR Kit, you do not need to duplicate every document. Make sure this section clearly identifies the coverage and points someone to the supporting records.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you quickly identify your active insurance coverage, contact the appropriate insurer or agent, and locate supporting policy documents.

After your death, the person handling your affairs may need to determine which policies should remain active temporarily, whether any claims should be filed, and when coverage can appropriately be changed or canceled.

A central insurance record can help prevent policies from being overlooked while property, vehicles, belongings, and other insured assets are being addressed.

Related resources online

• Non-Medical Insurance Information Hub
• Additional CLEAR Kit Worksheets

Why this matters while you are alive

Tax records provide a useful history of your income, investments, businesses, property, deductions, and other financial activity.

Keeping them organized can make future filings easier, help you respond to tax notices, support information reported on a return, and provide useful clues when trying to identify older accounts or financial activity.

They can also help someone assisting you understand your recent financial history.

Good to know

Don’t treat “the last three years” as a universal retention rule.

Three years is common, but IRS record-retention periods vary depending on the circumstances, and some records should be kept considerably longer. Records related to property may also need to be retained until after the property is disposed of and the applicable limitations period has expired.

Keep copies of filed returns and ask your tax professional before discarding supporting records when you’re unsure.

When this information may be needed

This information can help you or someone assisting you prepare tax filings, respond to tax questions, and understand income or financial activity reported in prior years.

After your death, the person responsible for your tax matters may need prior returns and supporting records to prepare your final individual income tax return and address any unfiled prior-year returns. An estate may also have its own income tax filing requirements if it receives income after your death.

Prior returns can also provide useful clues about income sources, investments, businesses, and other financial matters that may require follow-up.

Related resources online

• Taxes After Death Information Hub
• Tax Records and History Information Hub