Money, Documents & Planning
The paperwork version of "have the conversation before the crisis." The goal is that the family can find what matters when it matters — without anyone taking over a parent's accounts or autonomy.
Not financial or legal advice. We describe general patterns and provide blank checklists. Individual decisions about wills, trusts, powers of attorney, Medicaid, or taxes need the right professionals — this page exists so those conversations can start from a sane place.
Start here
The short list of documents and accounts to locate
A blank, printable checklist of the ~15 things families most often need in a crisis — and why locating them is not the same as taking them over.
Get the checklist →Before you take over their passwords
Account access is the modern version of the safety-deposit box conversation. Do it with consent, documentation, and a plan.
Read the passwords guide →How siblings can divide recurring parent tasks
Who handles bills, who handles doctor visits, who handles the lawn — made explicit before it becomes a grievance.
Read the task-split guide →Coming next
- Questions to ask parents before a crisis — preferences about care, money, and housing, in conversation form (shared with Care & Safety).
- What the different legal documents actually do — power of attorney, healthcare proxy, will, trust: plain-language descriptions of what each one does and does not do, with a strong "see a lawyer" boundary.
- The safe-word for money calls — a simple family rule for phone calls that mention money: "if it's about money, we hang up and call back."
Until then, the documents checklist is the highest-value thing you can do this week. It's a blank template — we will never host your family's private documents on this site (see privacy).