Letter of Instruction: A Free Template
Not legally binding, and that's the point. Fill this in by hand to tell whoever handles things what a will and power of attorney don't cover. Free, immediately downloadable, no email or account required.
No email required. Nothing you do on this page is tracked.
To whoever finds this
- Your full name
- Date written (update this yearly)
- Who this letter is for
Who to contact first
- Attorney name & phone (if you have one)
- Closest family member to notify
- Employer / HR contact (if still working)
- Anyone who should NOT be contacted (optional, but worth being explicit)
Where things are kept
- Will location
- Power of attorney location
- Safe deposit box (bank & box number, not the key)
- Insurance policies (which company, not the policy number)
Financial accounts
- Banks & account types (checking, savings, which bank, not account numbers)
- Retirement & investment accounts
- Recurring bills (mortgage, utilities: what auto-pays from where)
- Password manager (which one, not the master password)
Funeral & final wishes
- Burial or cremation
- Service preferences (religious, secular, location, music)
- Anyone who should be notified personally (before it's public)
- Anything specific you want, or don't want
Pets
- Who should take them
- Vet & care basics (see the free sitter instructions template for full detail)
A personal note
- Anything you want someone specific to know
This letter covers the practical and personal details. For the accounts, insurance, and legal documents behind it, Keystone Binder builds a complete binder your family can use when it matters.
Build your free binder previewWant the specifics on the legal documents this doesn't replace? See What Is a Letter of Instruction and The 4 Documents You Actually Need Before You Die.