Your Two Guides — what you're building
Twenty-nine Modules, two finished documents. Every Module adds a section in two places. The private one, The Secure Guide, holds the critical details of how your family's information is organized and accessed — kept inside your Vault. The shareable one, The Family Guide, holds the orientation your loved ones need — what exists, who to call, what matters — without exposing credentials or access details. Work the Modules and you finish with both guides already written — not as a separate project, but as the natural output of the work, Module by Module.
The third container, The Vault, holds the secrets both guides point to — passwords, keys, sensitive documents. The guides explain and orient; the Vault protects. That separation is the whole design:
Vault → Secure Guide → Family Guide = Secrets → Understanding → Sharing
The table of contents of both guides, in build order. The areas are a dependency ladder — System first because everything else depends on it, Estate last because it depends on everything before it. Prefer to see them filled in? The example guides show a fictional family's completed entries: the example Secure Guide · the example Family Guide.
Step 1: System
The infrastructure that protects everything else — devices, storage, network, encryption, credentials, and backups.
| Section | Module | The Secure Guide gets… | The Family Guide gets… |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-01 | The Devices Module | Full device inventory — one entry per device with backup, encryption, and disposal metadata | Device count and types, where the inventory lives, who to call for a lost device |
| S-02 | The File Storage Module | Master record of the filing structure — locations, naming, retention, archive policy | The shape of the system in one sentence, plus where a trusted person starts |
| S-03 | The Network Module | Network record — router, SSIDs, ISP, device map, config backup | The network's shape, where credentials live (no values), the escalation path |
| S-04 | The Encryption Module | One entry per encryption method or tool — how to decrypt, key location by reference, recovery status | That encrypted storage exists, the pointer pattern, and “do not guess passwords” |
| S-05 | The Passwords and Passkeys Module | One entry per credential/password tool or method — managers, passkeys, hardware keys, backup codes by reference | That the manager holds the credentials — and that in a lockout or a crisis, recovery starts with its emergency access, not account-by-account resets |
| S-06 | The Backup and Synchronize Module | One entry per backup or sync arrangement — scope, encryption, offline copy, recovery steps, last tested | A copy at home and a copy offsite; start with the README |
Step 2: At-Home
The family itself — identity, story and values, subscriptions, digital legacy, work history, health, and pets.
| Section | Module | The Secure Guide gets… | The Family Guide gets… |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-01 | The Family Compass Module | Stewardship record plus the private letters layer, kept in the Vault | The shared layer — narrative, values, traditions, an optional note to family |
| A-02 | The Identities Module | One entry per person — IDs, controlling emails, recovery dependencies, document locations | That identity records exist, where they live, the steward, and who to call |
| A-03 | The Subscriptions and Memberships Module | One row per service tied to its controlling identity — cost, renewal, transferability, cancellation | That the inventory exists and where disposition decisions live |
| A-04 | The Digital Legacy Module | General orders per person plus per-account dispositions, sunset plan, digital executor | The crisis-window rule: act only from the plan, verify through the executor |
| A-05 | The Work History Module | One entry per benefit-relevant employer — vesting, credentials, records, heir notes | Where records live and who to call for survivor benefits |
| A-06 | The Health and Medical Module | Working medical record — meds, providers, insurance, directives, HIPAA releases | The emergency sheet — PCP, hospital, allergies, insurance, directive location |
| A-07 | The Mental Health and Well-Being Module | Crisis-relevant providers, EAP, coverage, faith community | Crisis lines, counselor, one trusted person per family member |
| A-08 | The Pet Information and Care Module | Coverage and access records — insurance, vet portal, microchip, legal arrangements | Per-pet care sheet — profile, daily care, vet, emergency contacts |
Step 3: Financial
What funds the family — accounts, digital assets, taxes, budget, other assets, and insurance.
| Section | Module | The Secure Guide gets… | The Family Guide gets… |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-01 | The Financial Accounts Module | Full account map — accounts, advisors, liabilities, beneficiary flags | Accounts by institution and type (no numbers), advisors to call first |
| F-02 | The Digital Financial Assets Module | Per-category holdings — platforms, wallets, seed-phrase locations by reference | Which categories exist, who to contact before acting, heirs' caution |
| F-03 | The Tax Planning and Documentation Module | Archive location and access, preparer contacts, retention schedule | Archive pointer, years on file, and “call the CPA before responding to any notice” |
| F-04 | The Budget Module | Budget method, recurring obligations with autopay, goals, professionals | The continuity minimum — essential bills, operating account, who to call |
| F-05 | The Other Assets Module | Per-category assets with document locations and the appraisals log | That these exist, no values, and “don't sell before consulting” |
| F-06 | The Insurance Module | Per-policy detail — limits, premiums, beneficiaries with review dates | Policy types by carrier, the primary agent, the claim-filing steps |
Step 4: Estate
Continuity and intention — the documents, authorities, and wishes that carry the family through loss.
| Section | Module | The Secure Guide gets… | The Family Guide gets… |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-01 | The Disaster Preparedness Module | Critical-documents inventory, preparedness checklist, and supply rotation | Where records, go-bag, and cash live; who to call; replacement authorities |
| E-02 | The Communications Module | Communication plan by scenario, contacts, and the continuity list with when-to-contact | The first-calls order and the 30-day no-major-decisions instruction |
| E-03 | The Heir Education Module | Family Guide distribution log, introductions, meeting record, legacy documents | The plain-language plan summary and roles — the heirs' orientation |
| E-04 | The Elder Care Module | Legal authority documents, LTC insurance, providers, care preferences, caregivers | Named decision-makers, document locations, care preferences in the planner's voice |
| E-05 | The Funeral Wishes Module | Disposition preferences, pre-paid arrangements, service preferences, obituary guidance | The summary — and call the pre-paid provider before any other arrangements |
| E-06 | The Philanthropy Module | Giving vehicles, charitable bequests with EINs, designations, records location | The giving summary and an optional statement of giving values |
| E-07 | The Friends and Family Module | Sensitive context only — informal arrangements, intentional exclusions | The relationship map and the full notification list — useful while living, ready in loss |
| E-08 | The Entities Module | Entity inventory and per-entity detail, tax records, IP inventory | Entities overview, key contacts, and the entity-assets-bypass-the-will warning |
| E-09 | The Estate Plan Module | Core documents, professionals, named roles, beneficiary coordination, trusts, bequests | The plain-language summary — the estate attorney is the first call |
Every Module has been building toward a single outcome: a family whose information is organized, whose records are accessible, and whose people are prepared. The guides you assemble here are how that outcome survives a hard day.