Create your Plan If

On these pages we have gathered some of the basic information and links to resources that will help all parents put together their own Plan If – the practical and personal things that would make a difference if they were to die before their children had grown up.

Every family is unique and every situation is different so we haven’t tried to create templates for every item you may want to cover in your own Plan If. However, the content on these pages should be enough to get you started. You can download a list here of the suggestions on these pages.

We have divided up our suggestions into things you can do: This Week; This Month and This Year.

We recognise that thinking about this stuff is difficult. In our survey, many of our respondents said they hadn’t written a will, appointed guardians or written a letter to their child because it was too hard to think about. If it brings up strong feelings for you, please click here for sources of support.

And maybe it would help to remember that creating a Plan If does not make it more likely that you die before your children grow up, simply that if the unthinkable did happen, your precious family would have some security and stability as well as strong links to you and your love for them.

Storing your Plan If

The next most important thing after starting to create your Plan If is to store it safely and securely and to make sure that someone knows how to find it and access it, if it ever becomes necessary.

Some people may make an online folder of all documents (but remember to let someone know the password); others may make a physical version which makes it easy to include cards and photographs. You will most likely have a mixture of both (some physical things in a box; some notes on where other things, such as your will, can be found).

Then, apart from checking it’s up to date from time to time, relax and forget about it. Hopefully it won’t be needed.