NOK, NOK..Are You Prepared?

 If something happened to you tomorrow, would your family know where to begin? They may know you have life insurance, retirement accounts, or a financial advisor. But would they know where to find them? Who should they call? Where is your will? What bills need to be paid? What happens to your online accounts? And if you're a business owner, are there partners or key employees who need to be included?

These aren't easy questions to discuss. But organizing basic information while everything is going well can make a difficult situation easier for the people you love. According to Trust & Will's 2026 Estate Planning Report, 56% of U.S. adults have none of the five core estate planning documents examined in the study. Additionally, 42% say they wouldn't know what to do if a family member died today. Yet 73% say estate planning is personally important. The challenge isn't necessarily a lack of concern, it's knowing where to start.

That's where a Next-of-Kin (NOK) file can help. A NOK file isn't a legal document or a replacement for a will, trust, or power of attorney. Think of it as a practical roadmap answering three questions: What do I have? Where is it? Who should my family contact?

Start by listing major financial accounts and assets, including bank and investment accounts, retirement plans, real estate, and business interests. Include the institution's name, contact information, and instructions for locating important documents.

Do the same for insurance policies. List the professionals your family may need to contact, such as your financial advisor, CPA, attorney, insurance professional, or banker. Your NOK file should also explain where to find your will, trust, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, property deeds, and business documents.

Today's financial lives extend far beyond paper. Email, online banking, subscriptions, cloud storage, social media, and digital assets can become difficult to navigate when someone dies or becomes incapacitated. I experienced this firsthand when a good friend, BJ, passed away unexpectedly. Because his family couldn't access his social media accounts, I continued receiving birthday reminders for years asking me to wish him a happy birthday. It was a small but powerful reminder of how many details can be overlooked.

Trust & Will's 2026 research found that 48% of Americans have no instructions for what should happen to their digital accounts and files after they die. You don't need to list every password. Instead, explain where secure access information can be found. Also include practical details such as mortgages, recurring bills, vehicles, pets, and other household responsibilities.

Your NOK file only works if someone you trust knows it exists and knows how to access it. Keep it somewhere secure, such as a home safe, protected digital location, or with your attorney.

Don't try to create everything at once. Start with one page listing your accounts, institutions, contacts, and important documents. Then add to it over time. Review your file annually and whenever something significant changes, such as a marriage, divorce, retirement, new home, business change, or birth or death in the family.

A NOK file isn't an estate plan. It's the roadmap that helps your family navigate your estate plan when you aren't there to guide them.

Planning ahead gives the people you love something incredibly valuable: clarity and time. A Next-of-Kin file may be one of the greatest gifts you can leave behind.