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Ask HN: Where do you store important information for your next of kin?

36 points by el_benhameen ↗ HN
I manage most of my family's finances, insurance, bills, etc. There's nothing wild, but there are a lot of different accounts in different places. I would like to keep all of this information somewhere that would be easily accessible to my wife if I get hit by a bus, but that is secure enough that I don't have to worry about someone else making off with our life savings. What solutions have you all used for this sort of thing?

24 comments

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nocpu
I personally do two things for my family.

I pay for the family edition of 1Password, and I have a family vault which includes everything that we need to share. My wife has also stored my master credentials in her vault, and I have done the same with hers. We mostly store bank cards and logins in 1Password, and while it can also store docs, we actually use my second solution instead.

The second solution is the deployment of a Synology NAS DS1019+. I have set up an account each for our digital lives; photos, docs etc. and for redundancy I also use backblaze. All of the Synology creds are stored in 1password.

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sen
I have a small notebook in our book shelves, that my wife and parents know about. It has instructions and log-in details to my desktop computer and our NAS, and written details for all the most important things they might need straight away.

Then my computer + the NAS both have offline KeePass DBs on them with every single password, bank account, etc in them for longer term stuff.

The same NAS has all our family photos, scanned documents and contracts, etc. We (wife, kids, etc) all work off the NAS for all our family document storage so they’re familiar with that aspect already.

ozfive
I hate to be the realist here but what happens if you get divorced and your wife has photographed your book full of passwords?
ocdtrekkie
You change your passwords during the divorce...
ozfive
Usually the attempt at draining accounts is done well before the divorce.
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vangelis
At the end of a series of delightful riddles.
smarri
This is the best way
ozten
Catalog all important accounts, master password to 1Password, 2FA backup codes, etc printed on paper and stored in a safe (or saftey deposit box or both for redudency).

2 weeks ago I just completed my will and trust, a TODO that I started doing 10 years ago...

kradeelav
Printed copies in a (heavy, bolted) locked file drawer/safe depending on how often folks need to access them, along with a master list of passwords that are handwritten and hidden.

Can't beat printed files when it comes to sensitive long-term information.

ozfive
Until a fire happens. Don't think a metal file cabinet will keep your documents safe from fire AND water damage.
rmahan
A fire safe is not a fireproof safe either. Usually they are rated for up to X degrees (my personal one is 1400F) and the papers inside will start to combust around that temp.
D-Coder
Right, but hopefully you have time to re-do everything after the fire and water. Until that happens, the cabinet is doing its job.
kradeelav
ergo, the "copies" comment, rather than "only files that exist". :) agreed, though!
krnlpnc
Fire safe containing organized folders with printed copies of important information.

The attack vectors on a physical safe are fire, flood and theft.

Plus it’s dead simple for a person and/or their attorney to make sense of the contents.

escapedmoose
Printed files in well-organized folders in a waterproof/fireproof locked box. I’ve had to remind my SO several times where I keep the key. I can only hope he finally remembers if I’m gone before him…
ozfive
Have him tattoo it on his body somewhere not usually visible. It's the only way.
ianmcgowan
Bitwarden family account for passwords/account info.

Shared dropbox account for all documents/pictures/artifacts etc. Scan and shred anything not vital.

xcubic
Did you automate the scan/shred part?
srvmshr
I do not have much elaborate setup & sharing it because everyone is:

I have all my password recovery unique codes in Google Keep. That way if something happens to me my wife can use my phone or my primary password (2FA'ed with the phone) to get access to email, account details etc. She can perhaps reset the password / access the account & close it permanently after whatever needs to be done. (I do not keep the passwords - just the unique security keys different accounts provide at creation)

room505
Check out FidSafe by Fidelity. https://www.fidsafe.com/
ev1
This is certainly an interesting one.

"Two-factor authentication" .. SMS and secret question

"End to end encryption" .. "The encryption keys that unscramble your data are generated, stored, and protected by FidSafe" "employees cannot see or access what you upload, except when legally obligated"