Sample output · default answers
Important Documents Checklist — full sample
This is the actual structure our generator produces from the default answers. When you buy, you fill in the form and your version reflects your household — rooms, timeline, province, and everything else.
If something happens to you
- This binder is built so a spouse, adult child, or executor who didn't handle the day-to-day finances can step in without hunting — start here, then work through the sections below
- First stop: the "ID Numbers" and "Password & Account Index" tabs in your Excel workbook — they're blank, structured pages for you to fill in yourself (never store real passwords in a document that could be lost or shared — index where they're kept instead)
- Second stop: the "Key Contacts" tab — lawyer, accountant, financial advisor, executor, and insurance broker, so whoever's helping knows who to call
- Tell at least one other adult where this binder is stored, in print or digitally — a perfect binder nobody can find helps no one
Identity documents
- Birth certificates for every family member
- Social Insurance Number cards
- Passports (adults + children)
- ON health cards
- Driver's licences
- Birth certificate is your core identity document — no status renewal to track
- Adult #1 — birth cert, SIN, passport, health card, driver's licence on file
- Adult #2 — birth cert, SIN, passport, health card, driver's licence on file
Financial documents
- Last 6 years of tax returns and Notices of Assessment
- T4, T5, T3, RRSP contribution slips
- Bank and credit card statements (12 months)
- Investment statements — RRSP, TFSA, RESP, non-registered
- Loan agreements (auto, personal, student)
- Employer pension and benefits paperwork
Property & housing
- Deed or mortgage documents and renewal history
- Home insurance policy
- Property tax bills (owners only)
- Utility bills (one recent for each service)
- Appliance warranties and receipts
- Vehicle ownership / registration
- Auto insurance policy
Medical documents
- Health card numbers
- Immunization records
- Prescription list with dosages
- Specialist referral letters
- Dental and vision insurance cards
- Advance care directive, if you have one
Legal & estate documents
- Original will — note the location and the executor's copy
- Powers of attorney (property + personal care)
- Marriage certificate / divorce decree, if applicable
- Custody agreements, if applicable
- Adoption records, if applicable
Storage & security plan
- Fire-rated home safe: Bolt the safe down or keep it out of sight, and make sure at least one other adult knows the combination
- Encrypted cloud storage: Use a provider with 2FA (Proton Drive, iCloud, Google One) and label files consistently: YYYY-MM_category_description
- Scan every document as you file it — a physical-only copy is one house fire away from gone
Digital estate & passwords
- Use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden) — never write full passwords in this binder
- Leave master-password recovery instructions with your executor or a trusted contact
- Inventory of online accounts: banking, email, social media, subscriptions, crypto if applicable
- Instructions for who should close or memorialize social media accounts
How long to keep each document
- Tax returns and supporting slips: 6 years (CRA requirement)
- Bank and credit card statements: 1 year, unless needed for taxes
- Utility bills: 1 year
- Home purchase documents: as long as you own the home, plus 6 years
- Insurance policies: while active, plus 3 years
- Wills, birth certificates, passports, marriage certificates: permanently
Review & maintain
- Review the full binder every January
- Update immediately after: marriage, birth, a move, new insurance, a new job, or a death in the family
- Purge anything past its retention period — shredded, not recycled