Estate Crate

Estate Crate: A Clear, Physical Guide to Your Life & Legacy

Estate Crate is a guided workbook and organizing system that helps you pull the most important details of your life into one place—so your family (or executor) isn’t stuck guessing when it matters most. Think of it as a step-by-step playbook for your affairs, stored in a simple, physical kit that anyone can understand and follow.

What it is

• A structured workbook with prompts that walk you through what to capture

• Tabs, labels, and folders to keep everything easy to scan and find

• A straightforward layout designed for real people—not lawyers—so you can make steady progress without getting overwhelmed

What you capture

• Identity & key contacts: full names, IDs, professional advisors, emergency contacts

• Legal & estate documents: will, trusts, powers of attorney, advanced directives, beneficiary designations

• Property & assets: home(s), vehicles, valuables, business interests

• Financial accounts: banking, investments, retirement plans, pensions

• Insurance: life, health, disability, long-term care, property/casualty

• Healthcare info: medications, physicians, allergies, preferred medical facilities

• Digital life: important logins, subscriptions, domains, social media, cloud storage

• Everyday logistics: utilities, memberships, recurring bills, safe-deposit boxes

• Personal wishes & notes: practical instructions, legacy letters, funeral preferences

Many people also create a front “Quick List” with the handful of items a loved one would need first (primary contacts, key accounts, where the will is, where the kit lives).

How it helps

• Reduces stress and confusion: no scavenger hunt through file drawers, inboxes, or half-remembered passwords

• Saves time and money: fewer emergency calls to advisors, fewer delays settling basic tasks

• Prevents mistakes: clear directions mean bills get paid, policies don’t lapse, and benefits aren’t missed

• Shows care: you’re leaving clarity, not chaos

When to build it

• During estate or financial planning

• After big life events (marriage, divorce, births, deaths, moves)

• As an annual habit, review and update once a year

Tips for getting started

1. Start small: one focused hour to gather the obvious items (IDs, will location, key contacts).

2. Work in passes: add accounts and policies next, then digital life and personal wishes.

3. Involve your people: tell your spouse/partner and executor where the kit is and how to use it.

4. Be smart about security: store the kit in a safe, accessible spot; consider keeping passwords as hints or keep the master password to a manager instead of writing every login in plain text.

5. Keep it current: set a reminder to review annually or after any major change.

What it’s not

• It’s not a replacement for legal documents or professional advice. Estate Crate helps you organize and communicate; your attorney and advisors handle the legal and technical pieces.

Bottom line: Estate Crate turns “I should get organized someday” into a simple, guided process you can actually finish. You’ll feel better, and the people you care about will have exactly what they need—clearly labeled, all in one place.