Your will is the foundation of every estate. It names who receives your assets, who cares for any dependent children, and who acts as your executor. Store the signed original or a certified copy alongside any codicils or amendments, and include the contact details of the solicitor or service that prepared it. If your will cannot be found when it is needed, the estate may be distributed according to intestacy laws that bear no resemblance to your actual wishes — causing significant distress for your family at the worst possible time.

Your enduring power of attorney documents give nominated people legal authority to manage your finances and, separately, your personal and healthcare decisions if you lose capacity. Without these documents in one accessible place, your family may need to apply to a tribunal or court for authority — an expensive, emotionally draining process that often takes many months. Store any trust deeds, divorce or separation agreements, adoption papers, citizenship and naturalisation documents, and legal name change certificates. These papers establish your legal identity, your family relationships, and your intentions.

For guidance on what constitutes an essential document for your situation, the master checklist of every essential document covers the full range and explains why each category matters. You can also explore what documents everyone should have in place for a structured starting point.

When someone passes away or becomes incapacitated, families face an immediate practical challenge: identifying every financial account, locating every policy, and understanding the complete picture of assets and liabilities. Without clear records, accounts go unclaimed, superannuation benefits are delayed, and debts surface unexpectedly during an already overwhelming time.

Store the institution name, account number, and branch contact for every bank account. Include investment portfolios and brokerage accounts, superannuation and self-managed super fund details with beneficiary nominations, all life insurance policies with policy numbers and insurer contacts, and income protection and total permanent disability insurance. Add home, car, and other general insurance policies. Document all credit cards, outstanding personal loans, and mortgage details including lender, account number, and approximate balance. Business ownership documents, partnership agreements, and shareholder arrangements also belong here if you are a business owner.

The Moneysmart website, run by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, offers free, impartial guidance on organising financial documents and planning for what happens to assets at end of life.

Cryptocurrency and digital investment assets present a unique and irreversible risk. Unlike a bank account, there is no customer service team that can help a family recover access to a wallet with a forgotten private key or seed phrase. If you hold any cryptocurrency, digital tokens, or blockchain-based investments, store the wallet addresses, private keys or seed phrases, and the name of any exchange accounts in your vault — securely encrypted. Without this information, those assets may be permanently inaccessible after your passing. For help thinking through the full scope of digital assets, see managing digital assets and online accounts.

Your estate's complete value can only be established when property and physical assets are clearly documented. Store the deeds and titles for any real estate you own, vehicle registrations and titles, and registration papers for boats, caravans, or other recreational vehicles.

If you own valuable collections — art, jewellery, antiques, or collectibles — store recent professional appraisals alongside photographs and provenance records. Document the location and access details for any safe deposit boxes or storage units. Hold records of any intellectual property, patents, or publishing rights you own. Without this documentation, executors can spend months attempting to identify and value assets, often missing items entirely and underrepresenting the estate's true worth.

You can find practical guidance on organising this information coherently in how to organise important information for your family and the how to organise family documents so they are never lost guide.

Email accounts, social media profiles, streaming subscriptions, and online financial platforms all require access credentials that only you currently know. Document the email address and password for your primary email account first, since this is often the recovery address for every other service your family might need to access or close.

Store the login details for banking and investment platforms, government services accounts, utility accounts, and any subscriptions worth cancelling or memorialising. A secure password manager within your vault — rather than a spreadsheet or notebook — ensures these credentials are encrypted and accessible only to trusted people under conditions you define. See what types of content and documents you can store in a digital legacy vault for a complete overview of what belongs in your vault beyond formal documents.

Your health and care records are as important as your financial ones. An advance care directive documents your wishes for medical treatment and personal care if you cannot speak for yourself. ACP Australia guidance recommends storing your completed directive somewhere that paramedics, hospital staff, and trusted family members can locate it quickly — ideally with a physical copy as well as a secure digital version.

Also store your Medicare number, private health insurance details, a current medication list with dosages, known allergies, the contact details of your general practitioner and any specialists, and any organ or tissue donation registrations. A brief medical summary for emergency responders can make a profound difference in moments when seconds matter. Your family should be able to find this information within minutes, not hours.

The most damaging error is creating a vault and never telling anyone about it. Documents that no one can find are effectively documents that do not exist. Tell at least one trusted person — a partner, adult child, or close friend — where your vault is, how to access it, and under what circumstances they should do so.

A second common mistake is storing copies without verifying they are current. An outdated will, a lapsed insurance policy, or an enduring power of attorney naming someone who has since passed away can create serious legal complications. Review your vault at least once a year and whenever a major life event occurs — marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a property purchase, or a new diagnosis.

Omitting digital assets entirely is an increasingly costly oversight. Many people assume their family will work it out. In practice, without access credentials, digital accounts and holdings are often permanently inaccessible. The Australian Taxation Office requirements for executors requires executors to account for all assets including digital ones, making proper documentation both legally significant and practically essential.

For a structured approach to staying on top of updates, see how often to update financial and legal document information and the getting your affairs in order checklist.

Evaheld's digital legacy vault is built specifically to hold the full breadth of essential documents that families need when it matters most. The Essentials section of your vault is structured around the document categories most critical to estate administration, emergency response, and family continuity — so you always know where to find what you need, and your family always knows too.

Unlike a folder on a hard drive or a stack of papers in a drawer, Evaheld stores your documents in an encrypted, access-controlled environment. You choose who can see what and when. Trusted family members or advisors can be granted access under specific conditions, including after your death. Every document you store can be accompanied by a brief note explaining what it is, where the signed original is held, or what your family should do with it.

What makes Evaheld distinct in the global landscape of legacy planning tools is the breadth of what it holds alongside your essential documents. You can record personal stories, leave messages for the people you love, document your values and wishes, and create an advance care plan — all within the same secure space. The people managing your estate are not left with a pile of paperwork alone; they are given context, guidance, and the words that only you could provide.

Begin with the essential documents folder guide or the secure document storage for your legacy guide to understand what to prioritise. Then start building your vault knowing that every document you add today is one less burden your family will carry tomorrow.