A document for the people you love.
When the time comes, this helps the people closest to you know where to start — where to find things, who to call, what you wanted, and what mattered to you.
None of it is legally binding. All of it is useful.
How this works
- Complete it in one sitting or across many — every answer saves automatically.
- If you've already completed the Estate Planning Questionnaire, some of this is pre-populated for you.
- Share a link with your spouse or partner to complete it together.
- The legacy message at the end is entirely optional — but families who have it always say it meant more than anything else.
- When you're done, save the document to your Cherry Hill file. You can come back and update it anytime.
Let's start with your name.
So it has your name on it when your family opens it — and so we know where to send your copy.
Where to find everything.
When something happens, the first question your family and executor will have is: where is everything? This section answers that.
Don't enter actual passwords here. Just tell your family where to find them.
Anything your family might need to find — marriage certificate, property deeds, insurance policies, business records, collections, anything meaningful. One entry per item.
The first steps.
The first few weeks are a blur. This section gives your family a short list of things that need early attention — so they're not guessing.
Your executor will also have the full Executor Checklist, which walks through the entire estate settlement process step by step. This section is for the things your family — not just your executor — should know about right away.
Credit cards, subscriptions, memberships, streaming services — anything that will keep billing if nobody cancels it. One entry per item.
Mortgages, loans, business debts — anything that will go into default if a payment is missed. One entry per debt.
Vehicles, property, investments — anything that needs to be moved into a new name or secured so it isn't lost. One entry per asset.
Your Cherry Hill team is a first call, not a last resort. They have your full financial picture, know your executor, and can coordinate with your lawyer, accountant, and insurance advisor.
Reach them at cherryhill@chpw.ca or 289-812-1170.
Your trusted contacts.
The people your family should call. Names and numbers in one place, so nobody has to go searching for them.
Cherry Hill is a first call. The team can coordinate with your lawyer, accountant, and insurance advisor on your family's behalf.
Business partners, close friends, mentors, long-time service people — anyone your family should reach out to personally. One entry per person.
Your family and funeral wishes.
Not legally binding — just guidance. Writing them down now takes the guessing away from the people who'll be making these decisions.
You can register your decision with BC Transplant (register.transplant.bc.ca) or Trillium Gift of Life Network (beadonor.ca) in Ontario.
Personal belongings and keepsakes.
The everyday things and family pieces that probably won't appear in your will — but matter deeply to the people who love you. Writing them down prevents the small disagreements that can become big ones during grief.
These are specific items for specific people. Jewellery. Artwork. The watch. The book your grandmother gave you. Write down what you'd want to go where — and, if it helps, why.
Your executor will use this alongside the Estate Inventory's personal-property section to track the actual distribution. What you write here is their guide.
Words for the people you love.
This section is entirely optional. But if you have something to say — a memory, a piece of advice, a thank you, an apology, something you never found the right moment for — this is where it lives.
Some people write a paragraph. Some write pages. Some write to everyone together; some write individual notes.
There's no right way to do this. And if you're not ready, leave it blank — you can always come back.
Many people prefer to write this by hand. Scan it, photograph it, or upload it here — your Cherry Hill team can help you add it to your file.
If you have specific words for specific people — a letter to each child, a note for your spouse, something private for one friend — write them here.
Save for your family.
Your Cherry Hill team will hold this document in your file. You can update it anytime — it's yours, not ours.