Free planning tool

Vital documents checklist

Twenty documents people need during travel, illness, a house problem or an estate handover. Each gets a plain answer: keep the paper original, an encrypted copy, or both.

Your checks stay in this tab. Nothing sent or stored.

0 of 20 coveredChecklist progress

Identity

0 / 4

Property

0 / 3

Money

0 / 4

Health

0 / 3

Digital

0 / 3

Estate

0 / 3

Copies help people find information and prepare. They do not turn a scan into the signed legal instrument. Wills, deeds, powers of attorney and similar documents may require an original under local law.

What “covered” means

Tick an item when the recommended form exists, is current and can be reached by the right person. An encrypted copy is for private information and access; a paper original still matters wherever signatures, seals or local law make the original the instrument.

Questions people ask

Which vital documents should I keep?

Start with proof of identity, ownership, insurance, finances, health wishes, digital access and estate plans. The right list varies, but these 20 categories cover the common emergencies and handovers.

Are encrypted scans enough?

They are excellent for access, reference and replacement. They are not automatically legal substitutes for signed wills, deeds, powers of attorney or other originals.

Should this checklist contain passwords or account numbers?

No. Keep this as an inventory. Store credentials and detailed records in properly encrypted storage, and record only where the authorised person should look.

How often should I review vital documents?

Review once a year and after a move, marriage, separation, new child, property change, major diagnosis or changed executor. A stale plan can be more confusing than no plan.

Keep the copies private. Keep the originals findable.

Sealby gives scans, inventories and instructions an encrypted home on your device. It complements the signed papers; it never pretends to replace them.

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iPhone & iPad · iOS 17+ · Free