The 'If I Die' Document: Everything Your Partner Needs to Know

Imagine this: your partner is sitting at the kitchen table three days after your death. Between the shock, the grief, and the exhausted children, they need to find your life insurance policy. They need to know which bills come out when. They need access to your email to notify people. They need to know if you wanted to be buried or cremated.

And they have no idea where to start.

This is the reality for most bereaved families. Not because their partner didn't care, but because nobody talks about this stuff. Nobody writes it down. Everyone assumes they'll have more time.

The "If I Die" document solves this. It's not morbid - it's a profound act of love. It says: even in my absence, I'm still looking after you.

What goes in an If I Die document
Section 1: Financial information
Section 2: Digital life
Section 3: Important contacts
Section 4: Practical information
Section 5: Personal wishes
How to store and share this document
Frequently Asked Questions
Next Steps

What Goes in an "If I Die" Document {#what-goes-in-an-if-i-die-document}

This document is different from your will. Your will is a legal document that says who gets what. This document is practical - it tells your family how to access what's yours and what they need to know to manage without you.

Think of it as a manual for your life. Everything someone would need to step into your shoes and keep the household running, settle your affairs, and honour your wishes.

The document should cover five areas:

Financial information - Where your money is and how to access it
Digital life - Online accounts, passwords, subscriptions
Important contacts - People to notify, professionals to contact
Practical information - How your household runs
Personal wishes - What you want and what matters to you

Let's go through each section.

Section 1: Financial Information {#section-1-financial-information}

Your partner needs to know every financial account in your name, jointly held, or where you're the main account holder.

Bank Accounts

For each account, record:

Bank name
Account type (current, savings, joint, individual)
Account number (or at minimum, last 4 digits)
Approximate balance range
Online banking details (username, how to reset password)
Location of debit/credit cards
Standing orders and direct debits set up

Example:

HSBC Current Account (Joint)
Account: ****4521
Sort: 40-**-**
Balance: Main household account, typically £3-5k
Online: hsbc.co.uk, login is [email], password in password manager
Cards: My debit card in wallet; replacement process via app
Standing orders: Mortgage (1st), council tax (1st), utilities (various)

Credit Cards and Debts

List all credit cards, loans, and outstanding debts:

Provider and account number
Approximate balance
Monthly payment amount and date
How to access the account
What the debt is for

Pensions

This is crucial - pensions are often the largest asset people have, yet partners frequently don't know the details.

For each pension:

Provider name
Policy/account number
Type (workplace, personal, SIPP, defined benefit)
Approximate value
Nominated beneficiary (is your partner named?)
How to make a claim
Contact details

Important: Check your pension nominations are up to date. If you nominated an ex-partner, they might still be listed. Pension death benefits often bypass your will - they go to whoever is nominated on the pension paperwork.

Life Insurance

Provider and policy number
Type of policy (term, whole of life, critical illness)
Sum assured (payout amount)
Who is covered
Beneficiary details
How to make a claim
Whether it's in trust (affects how quickly money is paid)

Investments and Savings

ISAs (provider, type, approximate value)
Investment accounts (platform, approximate holdings)
Premium Bonds (holder's number)
Any other savings or investments

Property

Mortgage provider and account number
Outstanding balance
Monthly payment
Where the deeds are stored
Insurance details
Solicitor used for purchase

Other Assets

Vehicles (registration, finance details if applicable)
Valuable items (jewellery, art, collectibles)
Business interests or shares
Money owed to you

Section 2: Digital Life {#section-2-digital-life}

We live online. Your digital footprint needs to be accessible and manageable.

Password Manager

If you use a password manager (and you should), this simplifies everything. Record:

Which password manager (1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden, etc.)
Master password (store this VERY securely)
Recovery method
Where the emergency kit is stored (most password managers provide this)

If you don't use a password manager: This document becomes even more important. You'll need to list critical passwords directly (store the document very securely).

Email Accounts

Primary email provider and address
How to access (password, 2FA method)
Recovery email or phone number
What important accounts are linked to this email

Your email is the key to everything. With email access, your partner can reset passwords for most other services.

Social Media

Accounts and usernames
What you want done with them (memorialize, delete, leave active)
Any accounts with significant following or business importance

Subscriptions

List recurring subscriptions to cancel or maintain:

Streaming services (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)
Software subscriptions
News/magazine subscriptions
Gym memberships
Amazon Prime, etc.

Cloud Storage

Where your photos are stored (iCloud, Google Photos, etc.)
Important documents in cloud storage
How to access

Devices

Phone passcode
Computer login
Tablet access
Location of backup drives

Section 3: Important Contacts {#section-3-important-contacts}

Professional Advisors

Solicitor (name, firm, contact details, what matters they've handled)
Accountant
Financial advisor
Insurance broker
Mortgage broker

Employer

HR contact details
Line manager
Death in service benefit contact
Pension scheme administrator

Key People to Notify

Who needs to know? List:

Close family members
Close friends
Former spouse/co-parent (if relevant)
Business partners
Landlord (if renting)
Key clients (if self-employed)

Children's Contacts

School and key teacher
Childcare providers
Doctor/GP
Dentist
Activities and clubs (contacts for each)
Close friends' parents

Your Contacts

GP surgery
Specialist doctors (if any)
Dentist
Other healthcare providers

Section 4: Practical Information {#section-4-practical-information}

The day-to-day stuff that makes a household run.

Household Systems

Where the boiler is and how to reset it
Stopcock location
Fuse box location
Alarm code and how to operate it
Heating system controls
Who services the boiler (and when it's due)

Vehicles

Where keys are kept
Service history location
Insurance and breakdown cover details
MOT due date
Any quirks ("the left mirror button sticks")

Regular Commitments

Bin collection days
Meter reading schedule
Regular deliveries
Recurring appointments

Important Documents Location

Where to find:

Birth certificates
Marriage certificate
Passports
Will
Property deeds
Insurance documents
Tax records
Medical records

Keys

Where are spare keys for:

House
Car
Safe
Shed/garage
Parents' house
Anything else

Pets

Vet contact details
Vaccination records
Insurance details
Feeding routine
Medication (if any)
Who would take them if needed

Section 5: Personal Wishes {#section-5-personal-wishes}

This section is about what matters to you.

Funeral Wishes

Your partner shouldn't have to guess. Be specific:

Burial or cremation
Religious or secular service
Any specific readings, music, or elements
Who you'd want to speak
Where you'd want to be buried/ashes scattered
Dress code preferences
Donations to charity instead of flowers (which charity?)
Whether you've pre-paid a funeral plan

Messages

Consider writing:

A letter to your partner
Letters to your children (perhaps for key milestones - 18th birthday, wedding, etc.)
Messages to specific people
Anything you want said at your funeral

These can be separate sealed documents referenced here.

Guidance for Your Partner

Thoughts on:

Big decisions about the children
Your hopes for their future
Anything important you haven't said
Permission to move on, be happy, find love again

What Matters to You

Heirlooms and their significance
Family history information
Stories you want passed down
Traditions you hope continue

How to Store and Share This Document {#how-to-store-and-share-this-document}

This document contains extremely sensitive information. Store it carefully.

Physical Copy

Keep one printed copy in a secure but accessible location:

Home safe or lockbox
Filing cabinet with other important documents
With your will (but remember, wills are sometimes only accessed after death - this document needs to be findable immediately)

Digital Copy

Encrypted file on your computer
Password-protected document in cloud storage
In your password manager's secure notes

Who Should Know

At minimum:

Your partner/spouse
Your executor
One other trusted person (in case your partner is also incapacitated)

Tell them:

That this document exists
Where to find it
How to access it (safe combination, password, etc.)

Consider: a trusted family member having a sealed copy to open only in emergency.

Updates

Review and update this document:

Annually (set a calendar reminder)
After major life changes (new baby, new job, moving house, divorce)
When you open new accounts or close old ones
When passwords change (another reason to use a password manager)

Frequently Asked Questions {#frequently-asked-questions}

Key Takeaways

This document is an act of love. It saves your family hours of stress and confusion during the worst time of their lives
It's different from a will. Wills are legal; this is practical
Cover all five areas: Financial, digital, contacts, practical, personal wishes
Store securely but accessibly. It's useless if nobody can find it
Update regularly. Annual review minimum, plus after major changes
Tell people it exists. And where to find it

Next Steps {#next-steps}

Related Articles:

How to Write a Will in the UK - The legal document you need alongside this one
LPA Explained - What happens if you're incapacitated rather than deceased
What Happens to Your Kids If You Both Die? - Why guardianship matters

Last updated: January 2026. This guide is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Store sensitive information securely and consider professional advice for complex estates.