What information should you leave your children?
Choose what to share with younger and adult children. Build a free printable starting note with an agreed role, record locations and a handoff practice check.
Give children the information that fits their role #
A younger child may need to know which trusted adult to contact and what their caregiver’s instructions are. An adult child may be able to help locate records or coordinate practical tasks. Do not give both the same packet, and do not assume an adult child wants or is authorized to manage every responsibility.
A starting note for your adult child
Write this with an adult child who has agreed to help. Make a separate copy for each recipient so each person gets the information relevant to their role. For younger children, use the simple contact guidance below with their responsible caregiver.
Use locations and contact roles rather than passwords, recovery keys, full account numbers or identity numbers.
See a fictional example
Fictional example: Alex agreed to find the household document index if needed. The current copy is in the labeled family folder. Jordan is the backup contact. Alex has not agreed to manage accounts; any access questions go to the institution.
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A starting note for your adult child
Prepared / reviewed: ____________________
Agree on the role
Who is this copy for?
Who is this copy for?: ________________________________________________
One task they agreed to help with
One task they agreed to help with: ________________________________________________
Make the first step findable
First contact and backup
First contact and backup: ________________________________________________
Where is the current document index?
Where is the current document index?: ________________________________________________
What needs a professional or provider answer?
What needs a professional or provider answer?: ________________________________________________
Try the handoff together
What could they locate or explain back?
What could they locate or explain back?: ________________________________________________
Who will correct and maintain this copy?
Who will correct and maintain this copy?: ________________________________________________
This is a practical family note, not legal authority or a formal appointment. Confirm access and decision-making requirements with the relevant institution or qualified professional. Keep downloaded copies protected and share only what the recipient needs.
Prepared with WiseTomorrow · wisetomorrow.com/guides/information-to-leave-children
For younger children, keep the instructions simple #
Work with the adults responsible for the child and the school or care provider. Use language the child can explain back to you. Keep sensitive financial records and passwords outside the child’s contact sheet.
- Which trusted adult to contact first.
- The backup person if the usual adult cannot be reached.
- The household’s agreed emergency communication plan.
- Where the child’s caregiver keeps the current instructions.
Discuss who maintains the information #
If several adult children are involved, agree on a coordinator and how updates reach the others. Avoid circulating multiple untracked copies of sensitive records. Someone can know where to start without receiving every private detail now.
Include the context you want remembered #
A personal note can explain why a record, tradition or family item matters. Keep informal messages separate from formal planning documents and seek appropriate advice for legal arrangements. Ask your chosen person to locate the starting point and explain the first step before you consider the handoff finished.
Choose a different copy for each reader #
Use a small starting note instead of sending the same archive to everyone. The planner above is for an adult child who has agreed to a practical task. Keep a younger child’s instructions with the responsible caregiver and follow the school or care provider’s own arrangements.
| Reader | Useful starting information | Keep separate |
|---|---|---|
| Younger child | Trusted adult, backup contact and familiar communication instructions | Passwords, financial records and adult decision-making duties |
| Adult child helping with one task | Agreed task, first contact and where the current index lives | Unrelated private records and responsibilities they have not accepted |
| Person with a formal role | Relevant documents and questions for the responsible institution or professional | Assumptions that this family note creates authority |
Match a formal role to the right guidance #
The CFPB publishes separate guides for agents under a power of attorney, court-appointed guardians, trustees and government fiduciaries. If someone already has one of those roles, start with the corresponding guide and ask about unresolved questions. A practical task such as finding a folder should not be confused with a formal role.
Rehearse without exposing the whole archive #
Ask the intended reader to locate the starting note and explain whom they would contact. If they cannot find the index, clarify its label or location. If they cannot tell what they agreed to do, make the task smaller. Date the revised copy and agree how old copies will be replaced. This is a usability check, not proof of legal readiness.
WiseTomorrow is a technology service for organizing and sharing information. It does not provide legal, tax, financial or estate-planning advice, does not replace a will, trust, power of attorney, beneficiary designation or advance directive, and does not verify that stored documents are valid. Consult a licensed professional for advice about your situation. Read the full legal disclaimer.
Sources and editorial notes
Prepared by WiseTomorrow, the maker of Wise Box. These resources help organize information; they are not an independent product review. No specialist review is claimed. How these resources are prepared.
- National Institute on Aging: Getting your affairs in order · Source checked 2026-09-09
- CFPB: Guides for managing someone else’s money · Source checked 2026-10-08
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