Leave a Legacy, Not a Puzzle: 9 Essential Questions Every Family Should Answer

Being prepared isn’t about dwelling on worst-case scenarios. It’s about making sure the people you care about have what they need, when they need it. 

If you’re the one who keeps your family’s info organized, having that info ready to access and share means everything. That way, if you’re ever dealing with an emergency, traveling for work, or otherwise unavailable, your family will have an easier time keeping your household running smoothly.

Here are 9 questions that can help you take care of your family under any circumstances—and the answers that make all the difference.

1. “How can I help my family manage when and if I’m unavailable, even temporarily?”

Everyone could use a hand sometimes, if only temporarily—during surgery recovery, extended travel, or when dealing with a family emergency.

In those kinds of situations, your family may need:

• Instructions for managing the house, like home security codes and how to water the plants
• Children’s daily routines and activities
• School and childcare contacts
• Work contacts who need to be notified

LifeHub’s sharing permissions let you grant access to specific folders. When you’re back to full capacity, simply adjust permissions. No need to reshare everything or worry about outdated information floating around.

2. “How will my spouse know which bills to pay and when?”

Your partner might handle some household responsibilities while you manage others, but when one person is suddenly unavailable, even routine tasks can become overwhelming.

Your family needs access to:

• A complete list of monthly bills with due dates
• Account numbers and customer service contacts
• Auto-pay arrangements and which card or account they’re linked to
• Login credentials for online accounts
• Contact information for service providers (utilities, insurance, mortgage)
• Any special instructions (like annual payments or seasonal services)

With Quicken LifeHub, you can create a comprehensive bills folder that includes everything from your mortgage payment to your streaming services. Add each of these items, and your spouse will always have what they need. The ability to selectively share means they see only what they need, maintaining privacy while ensuring preparedness.

3. “How can I organize and share passwords without compromising security?”

Digital life requires countless passwords, from NetFlix to your credit card accounts, but sharing them safely is a challenge. Written lists are insecure, and memorized passwords disappear with you.

Here are some of the accounts your family might need to access, depending on the level of the emergency:

• WiFi networks and smart home systems
• Subscription service credentials
• Computer and device passwords
• Cloud storage and photo accounts
• Email and social media passwords
• Financial account logins
• Any two-factor authentication methods

LifeHub provides a secure place to store your password manager credentials and critical account recovery information — and a secure way to share the right login credentials with the right people. This creates a single, secure access point for your digital life.

4. “What medical information would doctors need in an emergency?”

In medical emergencies, every minute counts. Having accurate health information readily available can make all the difference.

Vital medical information includes:

• Current medications and dosages
• Allergies and adverse reactions
• Medical conditions and diagnoses
• Recent surgeries or procedures
• Primary care physician and specialist contacts
• Health insurance information
• Blood type and any special medical needs
• Medical power of attorney documents

LifeHub’s Medical Records folder keeps any information you choose to add, organized and shareable. Family members can access it from any device during emergencies, ensuring accurate information reaches medical professionals quickly. No more trying to remember medication names under stress.

5. “How do I make sure someone can care for my pets?”

For many of us, pets are family. Ensuring their care requires more than just leaving food and water.

Pet care essentials include:

• Veterinarian contact information
• Vaccination records and medical history
• Medication schedules and special needs
• Feeding instructions and dietary restrictions
• Favorite toys, comfort items, and behavioral notes
• Pet insurance information
• Boarding facility preferences
• End-of-life care wishes

A dedicated Pet Care folder in LifeHub ensures anyone stepping in can provide proper care. Share it with pet sitters, family members, or neighbors who might help in emergencies. Your pets receive consistent care even when you can’t provide it yourself.

6. “Who needs to be notified if something happens to me?”

In times of crisis, your family shouldn’t have to guess who to contact. A clear communication plan reduces stress and ensures important people are informed.

Here are some of the key contacts to consider adding in LifeHub:

• Employer and HR department contacts
• Key clients or business partners
• Professional service providers (lawyer, accountant, financial advisor)
• Social groups, clubs, or organizations
• Extended family and close friends
• Any boards or volunteer commitments
• Digital account managers (for social media, websites)

LifeHub lets you maintain an updated contact list with notes about each person’s relationship and any specific instructions. Add as many as you like to a folder, and share it with your family so they’ll know who to reach out to and why.

7. “Where should I keep my will and other estate documents?”

A will locked in a safety deposit box might as well not exist if your family can’t access it when needed. Estate planning documents need to be both secure and accessible.

Critical documents to organize include:

• Your will and any trust documents
• Power of attorney documents (financial and healthcare)
• Living will or advance directives
• Beneficiary information for all accounts
• Life insurance policies
• Any burial or funeral preferences
• Letters to loved ones or ethical wills

LifeHub provides a dedicated Estate Planning folder with bank-level encryption. You can store these documents securely while designating who should have access and when. The transfer of ownership feature ensures your designated person can access everything when the time comes, without the complexity of physical document retrieval.

8. “How will my adult children find my financial accounts?”

You’ve spent a lifetime building financial security, but if your children don’t know where to look, those assets might as well be buried treasure without a map.

Essential financial information includes:

• Bank account locations and numbers
• Investment and retirement accounts
• Any cryptocurrency holdings
• Debts and loan information

Creating a comprehensive financial inventory in LifeHub means your children won’t miss accounts or struggle to piece together your financial picture. If you use Quicken for managing finances, LifeHub can sync this information automatically, keeping it current without manual updates.

9. “What happens to family photos and digital memories?”

Your digital legacy—photos, videos, written memories—might be scattered across devices, cloud services, and social media platforms. Without access to that information, these irreplaceable memories could be lost.

Add instructions for access and preserving this content, such as:

• Cloud photo service logins
• Computer and external drive locations
• Social media account information
• Family history or genealogy research
• Digital video collections
• Scanned document archives

Store access information and instructions in LifeHub so family members can retrieve and preserve these memories. Consider creating a simple guide explaining where everything is stored and any wishes for sharing or preserving specific content.

Starting your clarity journey

Creating this organized system doesn’t happen overnight, and that’s okay. Start with what feels most urgent to you:

• If you travel frequently: begin with emergency contacts and medical information
• If you’re the family’s financial manager: prioritize account lists and bill payments
• If you have young children: focus on care instructions and daily routines
• If you’re caring for aging parents: organize their medical and financial information
• Get more ideas here: 5 Quick Wins with LifeHub in Under 10 Minutes

Each item you organize, each question you answer, is an act of love for your family. You’re not just storing information—you’re providing clarity during times when clear thinking is hardest.

The compound effect of preparation

Like any good system, the benefits multiply over time. What starts as emergency preparation becomes everyday convenience:

• No more searching for the insurance card during claim filing
• Quick access to warranty information when appliances need service
• Easy sharing of vaccination records for pet boarding
• Instant retrieval of tax documents each spring

Your organized information serves you daily while ensuring your family is never left puzzling over what to do next.

Your legacy of clarity

The greatest legacy isn’t just what you leave behind—it’s how you leave it. When information is organized, accessible, and clear, you give your family the ability to focus on what matters: supporting each other, celebrating your journey together, and moving forward with confidence when the time comes.

Every question answered, every document organized, every access point clarified is a brick in the foundation of your family’s security. You’re not just preparing for uncertainty; you’re creating certainty in an uncertain world.

Start with one question. Answer it thoroughly. Then move to the next. Your family’s future clarity begins with one simple upload today.