Your will tells a court what happens to your assets.
Your Letter of Instruction tells your family where everything actually is.
Most people have a will (or know they should). Almost no one has a Letter of Instruction. And yet it’s the document that makes everything else workable in the days immediately after a death.
What Goes in a Letter of Instruction
- Account locations: Every bank, brokerage, retirement account — name, institution, account number, contact
- Insurance policies: Life, health, property — policy numbers, company, agent contact
- Digital assets: Email, social media, subscriptions, crypto, password manager access
- Real estate: Deeds, mortgage info, property tax accounts
- Final wishes: Funeral preferences, burial vs. cremation, who to notify
- Important contacts: Attorney, CPA, financial advisor, employer HR
- Where documents are stored: Physical location of will, trust, passport, birth certificate
Why It’s More Useful Than a Will in the First 72 Hours
Your will goes through probate — a legal process that takes months. Your Letter of Instruction is available immediately, to whoever you’ve designated. It’s what your family opens first. It’s what tells them where to look, who to call, and what you wanted.
A will without a Letter of Instruction is like leaving a treasure map with no starting point.
The Template
The Letter of Instruction Template walks you through every section — with prompts for exactly what to include and how to organize it so it’s actually useful when it’s needed most.
Get the Letter of Instruction Template — $19 →
Or get it as part of the complete estate planning toolkit:
Estate Planning Starter Bundle — $49 →
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The information in this post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice.