Family conversations
Dinner Table Conversations
Gentle, guided conversations that help your family understand what exists, who's responsible, and what happens next.
Each conversation includes: why it matters, what your family should understand, dinner table questions, decisions to make, documents that may need attention, who needs to know, and next steps. Tap a card to open it.
Power of Attorney
Why it matters
If you can't make financial or legal decisions for a while, someone needs the legal right to pay bills, manage accounts, and handle paperwork for you. Without it, your family may need a court to step in.
What your family should understand
- A power of attorney names someone you trust to act for you; it ends when you pass away.
- Financial and healthcare powers of attorney are usually separate documents.
- Banks may ask for the original document or their own forms.
Dinner table questions
- If I were in the hospital for a month, who would pay the mortgage and the bills?
- Who in our family is organized and calm under pressure?
- Would you feel comfortable acting for me? What would worry you?
- Should there be a backup person if the first choice can't serve?
Decisions to make
- Who is the primary agent and who is the backup
- Whether the power starts now or only if you become unable to act
- Any limits on what the agent can do
Documents that may need attention
- Durable financial power of attorney
- Bank or brokerage power of attorney forms
- List of accounts and recurring bills
Who needs to know
- The person you name and your backup
- Your spouse or partner
- Your attorney or financial advisor
Next steps
- Pick your agent and ask them directly
- Have the document prepared and signed properly
- Store a copy in your Document Vault and tell your agent where it is
Healthcare Decisions
Why it matters
In a medical emergency, doctors turn to family. Knowing your wishes ahead of time spares loved ones from guessing during a frightening moment.
What your family should understand
- A healthcare proxy names who speaks for you if you can't speak for yourself.
- A living will or advance directive records the care you do and don't want.
- Doctors need to be able to find these documents quickly.
Dinner table questions
- What matters most to you about quality of life?
- Are there treatments you would never want?
- Who should speak to doctors for you, and could they honor your wishes even if they disagreed?
- Do you have religious or cultural beliefs your care team should know about?
Decisions to make
- Who is your healthcare agent and backup
- Your wishes about life support, resuscitation, and comfort care
- Whether to share your records with family members (HIPAA release)
Documents that may need attention
- Healthcare proxy or medical power of attorney
- Living will or advance directive
- HIPAA authorization
- List of medications, doctors, and insurance
Who needs to know
- Your healthcare agent
- Your primary doctor
- Close family members
Next steps
- Talk through your wishes with your chosen agent
- Complete and sign your state's forms
- Give your doctor a copy and save one in your Document Vault
Wills
Why it matters
A will says who receives what you own and who cares for your minor children. Without one, state law decides, which may not match your wishes.
What your family should understand
- A will names an executor to carry out your instructions.
- Some property passes outside a will, such as accounts with named beneficiaries.
- A will usually goes through probate, which is a public court process.
Dinner table questions
- Do we each have a will, and when was it last updated?
- Who would be a fair, organized executor?
- Are there special items with stories or meaning that should go to someone specific?
- Has anything changed, such as a marriage, divorce, birth, or move?
Decisions to make
- Who will be your executor
- How your property should be divided
- Who should care for minor children
Documents that may need attention
- Current will and any amendments (codicils)
- List of major assets
- Beneficiary designations to compare against your will
Who needs to know
- Your executor
- Your spouse or partner
- Your attorney
Next steps
- Review or create your will with an attorney
- Tell your executor where the original is kept
- Upload a copy to your Document Vault
Trusts
Why it matters
A trust can help your family avoid probate, keep matters private, and manage money for children or loved ones who need support over time.
What your family should understand
- A trust holds property for others and is managed by a trustee.
- A trust only controls property that is actually placed into it.
- Trusts can provide for people with special needs without affecting their benefits.
Dinner table questions
- Do we have a trust, and is our home or other property titled in its name?
- Is there someone in our family who would benefit from money being managed over time?
- Who would we trust to serve as trustee?
- Do we want our affairs to stay private?
Decisions to make
- Whether a trust makes sense for your family
- Who will serve as trustee and successor trustee
- Which property should go into the trust
Documents that may need attention
- Trust agreement and any amendments
- Deeds and account statements showing trust ownership
- Certification of trust
Who needs to know
- Your trustee and successor trustee
- Beneficiaries, as appropriate
- Your attorney and financial advisor
Next steps
- Ask an attorney whether a trust fits your situation
- Confirm property has been moved into any existing trust
- Store the trust in your Document Vault
Life Insurance
Why it matters
Life insurance can replace income, pay off debt, and cover final costs, but only if your family knows the policy exists and how to claim it.
What your family should understand
- The named beneficiary receives the money, regardless of what a will says.
- Work policies may end when you leave the job.
- Unclaimed policies are common because families don't know they exist.
Dinner table questions
- What policies do we have, through work or on our own?
- Who is named as beneficiary, and is that still right?
- Would the payout cover the mortgage, debts, and childcare?
- Who would make the claim, and do they know how?
Decisions to make
- Whether your current coverage is enough
- Who your primary and backup beneficiaries are
- Whether minor children need a trust or custodian to receive funds
Documents that may need attention
- Policy documents and policy numbers
- Beneficiary designation confirmations
- Employer benefits summary
Who needs to know
- Your beneficiaries
- Your spouse or partner
- Your executor
Next steps
- List every policy in your plan
- Review and update beneficiaries
- Save policy details in your Document Vault
Guardianship
Why it matters
If something happens to both parents, a court will choose who raises your children. Naming a guardian lets you guide that choice.
What your family should understand
- Guardians for minor children are usually named in your will.
- The person raising your children and the person managing their money can be different people.
- Adults with disabilities may need their own guardianship planning.
Dinner table questions
- Who shares our values and would raise our children the way we hope?
- Would our children need to move schools or cities?
- Has that person agreed, and do they have the energy and space?
- What traditions, faith, or values do we want our children to keep?
Decisions to make
- Your first-choice and backup guardian
- Who manages money for the children
- A short letter about your hopes for your children
Documents that may need attention
- Will naming guardians
- Letter of wishes for guardians
- Children's medical and school information
Who needs to know
- The guardians you name
- Close family members
- Your attorney
Next steps
- Ask your chosen guardian directly
- Name them in your will
- Write a letter of wishes and keep it in your Document Vault
Money
Why it matters
Many families know little about each other's finances. A shared picture prevents missed bills, lost accounts, and stress during hard times.
What your family should understand
- Where your accounts are and who can access them.
- Which bills are automatic and which need attention.
- Debts and obligations that someone would need to handle.
Dinner table questions
- If I couldn't handle our money tomorrow, would you know where to start?
- What accounts, debts, and automatic payments do we have?
- Do we have an emergency fund, and who can reach it?
- Are there any money worries we haven't talked about?
Decisions to make
- Who will manage finances in an emergency
- Which accounts need a joint owner or payable-on-death beneficiary
- How to keep a current list of accounts
Documents that may need attention
- Bank, retirement, and investment account list
- Recent tax returns
- Loan, mortgage, and credit card statements
Who needs to know
- Your spouse or partner
- Your financial power of attorney
- Your executor
Next steps
- Record your accounts in your plan, without passwords
- Check beneficiaries on retirement accounts
- Set a yearly money check-in
Digital Life
Why it matters
Photos, email, online banking, and social media are part of your life and legacy. Without a plan, families can be locked out of accounts that matter.
What your family should understand
- Many services offer legacy contacts or inactive-account settings.
- Sharing passwords can break a service's terms; legacy tools are safer.
- Some accounts hold money or bills, such as crypto, PayPal, or subscriptions.
Dinner table questions
- Which online accounts would our family need or want to keep?
- What should happen to our social media profiles?
- Where are our family photos and videos stored?
- Who would cancel subscriptions and services?
Decisions to make
- Who will be your digital executor
- Which accounts to keep, memorialize, or close
- How access will be handled safely
Documents that may need attention
- List of important accounts (no passwords)
- Legacy contact settings for phone and email
- Instructions for photo and file storage
Who needs to know
- Your digital executor
- Your spouse or partner
Next steps
- Set up legacy contacts on your phone and email
- List key accounts in your plan
- Back up family photos in a shared place
Final Wishes
Why it matters
Sharing your wishes for a funeral, memorial, or burial lets your family honor you without second-guessing during their grief.
What your family should understand
- Your preferences for burial, cremation, or other arrangements.
- Whether arrangements are prepaid.
- Religious, cultural, or personal traditions that matter to you.
Dinner table questions
- How would you like to be remembered?
- Are there songs, readings, or people you'd want included?
- Do you have preferences about burial or cremation?
- Would you want a big gathering or something small?
Decisions to make
- Type of service and arrangements
- Who will lead the planning
- How costs will be covered
Documents that may need attention
- Written final wishes
- Prepaid funeral or cemetery contracts
- Organ donor registration
Who needs to know
- Your closest family
- Your executor
- Your faith leader, if any
Next steps
- Write your wishes down, even briefly
- Share them with the person who will plan
- Save them in your Document Vault
Business Continuity
Why it matters
If you own a business, your family and employees need to know what happens if you can't run it, so its value and the people who rely on it are protected.
What your family should understand
- Who can make decisions and sign for the business.
- Whether there is a buy-sell or succession agreement.
- Where key accounts, contracts, and passwords are managed.
Dinner table questions
- Who would keep the business running for the first 30 days?
- Should the business be sold, closed, or passed to family?
- Do partners or key employees know the plan?
- Who knows how to reach our clients, vendors, and accountant?
Decisions to make
- Your successor or interim manager
- Whether to create or update a buy-sell agreement
- Who receives your ownership interest
Documents that may need attention
- Operating or partnership agreement
- Buy-sell agreement
- Key contacts, contracts, and insurance policies
Who needs to know
- Business partners
- Key employees
- Your accountant and attorney
Next steps
- Name an interim decision-maker
- Review your agreements with an attorney
- Store business documents in your Document Vault
Family Roles
Why it matters
When life changes, families do better when everyone knows their part. Clear roles prevent conflict and make sure nothing important is missed.
What your family should understand
- Who is named in each legal role, such as executor, agent, and guardian.
- Who will handle practical tasks like pets, the home, and mail.
- That roles are about responsibility, not favoritism.
Dinner table questions
- Who would each of us call first in an emergency?
- Who is best at paperwork, caregiving, or bringing people together?
- Is anyone carrying too much, or feeling left out?
- How do we want to make decisions together when we disagree?
Decisions to make
- Who holds each role in your plan
- Backups for every role
- How and when the family will check in
Documents that may need attention
- Your People to Call list
- Copies of documents naming each role
Who needs to know
- Everyone named in a role
- Immediate family
Next steps
- Add each person and role to People to Call
- Tell each person what you're asking of them
- Plan a yearly family check-in
Educational information only — not legal advice. Legal content is pending attorney review. Requirements vary by state.