‘The family emergency folder’: 10 documents to keep handy

Posted on By Lydia Brita
Photo of folders on desk with papers inside.

Most people insure their home and save for retirement. However, most of us would struggle to quickly find important information that we store at home if something unexpected happened.

A family emergency folder is a secure place to keep the documents and information you and your loved ones may need in a crisis.

This could be:

  • because of an urgent need to leave your home, such as flooding;
  • because you lose capacity and are not able to make decisions for yourself; or
  • in the event of someone’s death.

It can save time for everyone who needs access to such information, reduce stress and help ensure your wishes are followed.

What is a family emergency folder?

It could be a physical folder with paper documents, a digital folder you save online or both. It should not contain everything, but should clearly point people to where information is stored. Wherever you store your information, make sure that the trusted people who need access to it know where it is.

The 10 things every family emergency folder should contain

1. Your will

If you have a will, make sure that your loved ones, particularly anyone you have appointed as an executor, know that you have one and where it is stored. Otherwise, if no-one can find your will, you will have died ‘intestate’ and your wishes may not be honoured.

If you don’t yet have a will, this article about things to consider when writing your will can help you get started.

Where to store your will

You might include a paper copy of your will in your emergency folder. If you have chosen a solicitor or will writer to store it, you can simply make a note of this and include their contact details. The HM Courts and Tribunal Service can also store your will for a relatively small fee.

2. Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs)

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you to nominate someone you trust, called an attorney, to make decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself. In England and Wales there are two types of LPAs: one for health and welfare matters, and another for property and financial affairs.

Find out more about getting an LPA

In Scotland, you can make a Continuing Power of Attorney and in Northern Ireland, an Enduring Power of Attorney. You can read more about these here for Scotland and here for Northern Ireland.

3. A finances list, such as bank accounts, savings and trusts

It will help your loved ones to deal with your affairs if you can give them a list of any current accounts, savings accounts, ISAs, Premium Bonds, shares or trusts that you have.

You do not necessarily need account numbers in the folder. A list of institutions and account locations is often sufficient.

4. Pension information

From April 2027, pensions will be included in calculations for inheritance tax for the first time. It’s therefore very important that you include details of any workplace or personal pensions you have, along with any death benefits your employer might have provided.

5. Insurance policies

Your loved ones will need to know the details of any policies you hold, such as:

  • life insurance;
  • income protection;
  • critical illness cover; and
  • home insurance.

6. Property information

Whether you rent or own your home, make sure the folder includes details like your contact details for your mortgage provider and the location of title documents, along with details of any second homes or rental properties.

7. Digital accounts, assets and devices

Keep a secure and safe record of information of your digital assets and important information that’s stored online, such as:

  • email accounts;
  • social media;
  • cloud storage;
  • password managers or
  • other digital assets, such as cryptocurrency wallets.

Find out how to set up your digital accounts so that your loved ones can access them if you’re not able to.

8. Key professional contacts

You can create a simple list of any professionals who have helped you manage your money and assets, such as your:

  • solicitor;
  • accountant;
  • financial advisor;
  • trustee; or
  • business advisor.

9. Your wishes and practical information

You can help give your loved ones peace of mind and save them time looking for important information by listing:

  • your funeral preferences;
  • people to notify after you die; and
  • any care arrangements for dependants or pets.

10. Business interests (if relevant)

If you or your family run a business, you will need to keep a record of the key documents needed to keep the business operating.

This would include documents such as:

  • business ownership;
  • shareholdings;
  • partnership agreements and
  • key contacts.

How often should you review your folder?

It would be helpful to review it annually, and also after:

  • marriage or divorce;
  • the birth of a child or grandchild;
  • moving house and
  • making a new will or LPA.

What should not go in the folder?

Make sure that anything you store in the folder is secure.

It is not a good idea to store:

  • unsecured lists of passwords;
  • large quantities of sensitive personal data; and
  • original documents that should be stored professionally elsewhere.

Having a family emergency folder is one of the simplest ways to make life easier for the people you care about. It won’t prevent difficult circumstances, but it can reduce delays and unnecessary stress at a time when your family may need clarity most.

Every family’s situation is different. A STEP qualified trust and estate practitioner can help ensure your will, powers of attorney and wider plans are up to date and work together effectively. Use the Find a TEP directory to find an advisor near you.

Starting the conversation: how to talk to loved ones about their wills and future planning

Posted on By Lydia Brita
Photo of father and son having a conversation.

Last updated: August 2026

Read time: 4 minutes

Most of us find it difficult to talk about death, including what happens to our finances, possessions and personal affairs when we’re gone. As a result, discussions about wills are often delayed or avoided altogether.

Many adult children and family members worry that asking about a loved one’s will may be seen as an interest in inheritance. However, these conversations are often less about financial arrangements and more about understanding someone’s wishes and ensuring that important practical matters have been considered.

While these discussions can feel uncomfortable, approaching them sensitively can help avoid uncertainty and make things easier for everyone involved.

Focus on planning, not inheritance

One of the easiest ways to start the conversation is to focus on practical planning rather than financial arrangements.

Many people worry that asking about a will might seem as though they are interested in what they stand to inherit. To avoid this, make it clear that your concern is whether plans are in place, not who will receive what.

You might say:

  • ‘I know these things aren’t always easy to talk about, but I’d feel reassured knowing you’ve got everything organised.’
  • ‘I’ve seen how difficult it can be for families when nobody knows where important documents are kept.’
  • ‘You don’t need to tell me what’s in your will, but have you made one and do the right people know where to find it?’

Approaching the subject in this way can help make the conversation feel supportive rather than intrusive.

Choose the right time

These conversations are often easier when they arise naturally, for example after a family bereavement, a friend dealing with the estate of a loved one, a house move or retirement.

Rather than making the discussion feel formal or urgent, try to raise it at a calm moment when there is time to talk openly and without pressure.

Ask practical questions

If the conversation develops, you could ask practical questions such as:

  • whether they have made a will;
  • whether the will is up to date;
  • where the original will is kept;
  • whether their executors know they have been appointed; and
  • whether there is any information that would help the family carry out their wishes in the future.

These questions focus on helping someone ensure their wishes can be carried out, rather than on the contents of the will itself.

Respect personal boundaries

Some people are happy to discuss the details of their will, while others prefer to keep those arrangements private. That is entirely their choice.

The purpose of the conversation should be to understand how their affairs are organised and ensure their wishes can be followed, not to seek information about inheritances or financial decisions.

Talking about more than the will

If you have started a conversation and it feels appropriate to discuss other important arrangements, you could ask if the person has:

  • lasting powers of attorney in place
  • any particular funeral wishes
  • important documents and contacts stored in a particular place
  • any online or digital accounts, photos and subscriptions that they intend to pass on
  • any arrangements related to pets.

Find out how to protect your digital memories for future generations

If something doesn’t seem right

Everyone has the right to make their own decisions about their will and who should benefit from their estate. However, if a conversation raises concerns that a vulnerable person may be under pressure or experiencing financial abuse, it is important to seek advice.

Being aware of what to look for when it comes to financial abuse can help you safeguard your loved ones. For example, these could all be signs of abuse, depending on the circumstances:

  • sudden changes to a will that favour a new friend;
  • someone being isolated from their family; or
  • the giving of large gifts or loans that might put their financial security at risk.

Find out more about how to spot the signs of financial abuse

Getting professional advice

If you or a loved one would like professional guidance on wills, powers of attorney or wider estate planning, a STEP-qualified trust and estate practitioner can help explain the options and ensure appropriate arrangements are put in place.

Talk to a TEP to find an expert near you.

What happens if I become unable to manage my own affairs tomorrow?

Posted on By Lydia Brita
Photo of document reading 'power of attorney'

Last updated: August 2026

Read time: five minutes

One morning, you’re driving to work, walking the dog or dropping the children at school. That afternoon, an unexpected accident or serious illness leaves you unable to make decisions or communicate your wishes. Or it may happen gradually because of dementia or another progressive condition. In legal terms, this is called ‘losing capacity’.

Who would be able to access your money, pay your bills, run your business or make decisions about your health if you couldn’t do it yourself?

What happens to your money

‘My spouse or children could just take over’

Many people assume close family members automatically have authority to act on their behalf. In reality:

  • Banks cannot simply share access to accounts.
  • Utility companies may refuse to discuss accounts.
  • Investments may be inaccessible.
  • Business decisions may be delayed.
  • Family members may need to apply for access through formal legal processes.

Being married or being someone’s adult child does not automatically give you authority to make financial or legal decisions for them.

What happens to your bank accounts and finances

Your family would need to take on decisions on your behalf, such as managing household finances and dealing with immediate expenses.

Regular payments like a mortgage, rent, care fees, utilities, insurance, council tax and other bills might not be made if you don’t have the capacity to authorise them.

That’s because if you can’t access your bank accounts, they still remain in your name and usually family members cannot access them. While they may be able to access joint accounts, it is unlikely that your loved ones can access your savings or investments without legal authority.

They would need to pay bills and to do this, could need access to your bank account, as well as knowing where important documents are and ensure that direct debits and mortgage payments are covered.

What happens if you run a business?

If you run your own business, and for example, had a stroke, would anyone else have the authority to manage the business bank account? If not, then contracts could be delayed, employees might not be paid and bills might not be paid.

What about caring responsibilities?

Planning is about more than money. You may look after young children, an elderly parent, a disabled adult child or a vulnerable relative.

If you weren’t able to care for them, who would step in? Would they know what support is in place? And would they know your wishes?

Decisions about your health

‘My next of kin can decide for me’

If you were seriously ill in hospital, you might think that your next of kin can influence what doctors decide to do. This is not the case. Although doctors will consult your loved ones, ultimately by law they are obliged to make decisions based on what they think is in your best interests, unless you have a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA).

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney and why does it matter?

An LPA allows you to appoint trusted people to make decisions on your behalf if you cannot do so yourself. There are two types – one for health and welfare, and the second for property and financial affairs. You can find out more about an LPA here

Please note, the above relates to England and Wales. In Scotland, you can make a Continuing Power of Attorney and in Northern Ireland, an Enduring Power of Attorney. You can read more about these here for Scotland and here for Northern Ireland.

What happens if there isn’t an LPA?

Family members may need to apply to the Court of Protection in England and Wales, to be appointed to manage a person’s affairs. It is a complex and potentially costly process that is more expensive than an LPA. It adds extra stress at an already difficult time.

Five signs you should think about putting LPAs in place

We recommend having LPAs if you:

  • own a property;
  • have savings or investments;
  • run a business;
  • care for someone else; or
  • want to choose who would act for you if needed.

You don’t need to be elderly, wealthy or seriously ill to plan ahead. A sudden accident or illness can affect anyone. While nobody can predict the future, planning ahead can make things significantly easier for the people who may need to help you.

Talk to a TEP to find an expert near you.

How to talk about your will

Posted on By Liz Skinner

Last updated: August 2026

Read time: four minutes

It takes time and effort to make a will, but many people don’t take the important step of telling their family and loved ones what’s in it or why they made certain decisions. At the same time, adult children, other family and friends who may expect to benefit from a will are understandably reluctant to ask questions for fear of appearing mercenary or making the person uncomfortable.

The result is often at best, uncertainty and surprise, and at worst, a distressing and expensive legal dispute that could have been avoided through better communication. This can happen if people were expecting a particular outcome from a will and it hasn’t happened. For example, this could be if someone is left out of a will and feels this is unfair.

A conversation about a will need not involve sharing every detail. The good news is that simply discussing the basics can help avoid confusion and costly disputes later.

Why talking about a will can be difficult

You may feel that your finances are private. You may be wary of either causing family arguments or being pressured by loved ones to make decisions that suit them. You may feel uncomfortable talking about death, maybe for cultural reasons, or you expect your children to deal with such decisions when the time comes.

How much do you actually need to share?

There is no single right answer: choose the approach that works best for you and your family. You might be very open with your loved ones and tell them exactly who will inherit what. Even if you wish to keep the contents of your will private, that’s perfectly reasonable, but consider ensuring people know:

  • that a will exists;
  • where it is stored;
  • who the executors are; and
  • if you engaged a professional to write your will, such as a solicitor or will writer, who that was.

If you don’t feel comfortable discussing your decisions in detail, you could leave a separate letter explaining your reasoning. While it is not legally binding, it can help your family understand your wishes.

Explaining your decisions

Many family disputes arise not because of the decision itself but because nobody knows the reason behind it. You may wish to make gifts to charities, provide for a vulnerable family member, support a second spouse or protect a family business.

If you are able to discuss your decisions, such as the reasoning behind unequal gifts between children, it can prevent them spending a lot of time and money on legal challenges.

You might give less to a child who has received help buying a home, or more to another who has worked in a family business. People may not agree with every decision, but understanding the reasoning can reduce confusion and resentment.

Blended families

Divorces, second marriages and blended families often create challenges for will planning. For example, getting married or entering into a civil partnership revokes a will, and that can mean that stepchildren are left out of an inheritance that was intended for them. It’s another reason why it’s so important to have a will.

Family businesses

If you own and run a family business, your will can help set out your succession plan and clarify which level of responsibility you would like different family members to take on.

When to have a conversation

Talking about your will doesn’t need to be a one-off conversation. You could choose to talk about after you have updated it, after a major life event, such as remarriage or or retirement, or perhaps following the death or illness of another family member or friend.

It doesn’t need to be a long discussion and by talking about your wishes, you can give your loved ones peace of mind. You will also make it more likely that your estate is distributed the way you intend it to be, rather than being consumed by costly legal fees.

Getting professional advice

If you or a loved one would like professional guidance on wills or wider estate planning, a STEP-qualified trust and estate practitioner can help explain the options and ensure appropriate arrangements are put in place.

It is important to note that your will should be reviewed after major life events, such as marriage, divorce, the birth of children or grandchildren, or significant changes to your finances. If your family circumstances are complex for example, if you have a blended family, own a business or have vulnerable beneficiaries it is particularly important to seek professional advice so your wishes can be carried out effectively.

Find a TEP