Putting Your Affairs in Order, Where Do I Start?

“I need to get my affairs in order” can sound like a job for another day because it seems to include everything: wills, pensions, property, passwords, funeral wishes, insurance, bank accounts and family conversations.

You do not have to solve all of that at once.

A better starting point is to create a clear picture of your life on paper and identify where there are unanswered questions.

Start with people, not paperwork

Who would be affected if you became seriously ill or died?

Think about a spouse or partner, children, anybody financially dependent on you, somebody you care for, a disabled or vulnerable family member and anyone who depends on you to manage household or business matters.

This helps reveal why planning matters. A single person with straightforward finances may have different questions from somebody with young children, a second marriage, a business or property shared with an unmarried partner.

Make a simple assets and commitments list

Record the existence of your main bank and savings accounts, pensions, investments, property, mortgage, loans, insurance policies and significant possessions.

If you run a business, include enough information for somebody appropriate to know that the interest exists and who the relevant professional contacts are.

The list is an index, not a document containing every account password or security answer.

Check how important assets are actually held

Ownership can determine what happens before a will is even considered.

For example, jointly owned property in England and Wales can be held as joint tenants or tenants in common. With joint tenants, the property normally passes automatically to the surviving owner. With tenants in common, the deceased person’s share can pass under their will or intestacy.

If you do not know how your home is owned, check rather than assume.

Find your existing legal documents

If you already have a will, locate the original or confirm who holds it.

Ask whether it still reflects your circumstances. Marriage or formation of a civil partnership will usually revoke an existing will unless it was made in contemplation of that marriage or civil partnership. Divorce can also affect how provisions concerning a former spouse operate.

Later-life planning may also involve Lasting Powers of Attorney, but those deal with decisions during lifetime and are different from a will.

Write down the practical information somebody would need

Useful information might include:

where the original will and important documents are kept;

the names of your solicitor, accountant or financial adviser where relevant;

employer and pension-provider details;

insurance policies;

regular household commitments;

important digital accounts or subscriptions; and

whom to contact about a business, tenancy, property or other responsibility.

Keep sensitive information securely and tell an appropriate person how necessary records can be located.

Identify the questions that need professional advice

You may discover issues rather than answers.

Perhaps you own a house with an unmarried partner. You have children from an earlier relationship. A beneficiary is disabled. You own overseas property. You have a business. You are unsure whether an old will is still valid.

Those are useful discoveries. Take the list to a professionally qualified legal adviser rather than trying to design the solution from internet information.

Last reviewed

5 September 2026

Important legal informationThis guide provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not intended to recommend any particular legal arrangement, course of action or solution. Wills, inheritance, trusts, powers of attorney, mental capacity and related matters can have significant legal and financial consequences, and the appropriate approach will depend on individual circumstances. Professionally qualified legal advice should be sought before making, changing or acting upon important legal arrangements or decisions.