What should go in a legacy letter or letter of instruction?
My father wants to write down practical things his family would need to know — accounts, subscriptions, where things are kept — but he is not sure what belongs in it or how formal it should be. What should it include?
✓ Accepted answer
A legacy letter is a practical, non-binding document that guides your family on personal matters not covered in your will, ensuring a smooth transition of your daily life and specific wishes.
- Financial Inventory: List all bank accounts, credit cards, and investment portfolios with specific institution names. Note that you can avoid listing passwords directly; instead, provide the location of a secure password manager or a dedicated safety deposit box where digital credentials are kept.
- Digital Asset Access: Create a list of active email addresses, cloud storage drives, and critical online accounts. Specify the executor’s authority to access these files for closing accounts or managing subscriptions.
- Pet and Plant Care: Identify trusted individuals for immediate custody of pets and detailed instructions for houseplants, including watering schedules and light requirements, which is often overlooked in formal legal documents.
- Medical Directives: Reference where your healthcare proxy or durable power of attorney is stored. While not a medical directive itself, the letter should direct your family to these binding legal documents to avoid confusion during emergencies.
- Personal Wishes: Include specific instructions for funeral services, organ donation preferences, and the desired handling of sentimental items like heirlooms or family photo albums.
Treat this letter with a warm, conversational tone rather than formal legal jargon. The American Bar Association recommends reviewing this document every two to three years or after major life events, such as a move or change in beneficiary designations, to ensure the information remains accurate and useful for your loved ones.
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