A plan for the people who count on you.

Map the household you support

List the people who depend on you and the regular costs that keep their day running. Include housing, food, transport, childcare, and school needs. Think about practical help you provide as well as your income.

Write down existing insurance and resources you intend to use. If an amount is uncertain, mark it “check” instead of treating it as guaranteed support.

Separate the care plan from the money plan

Who would you want to care for your child? Who would be able to manage money for the child’s needs? Those are related questions, but an insurance beneficiary form is not a guardianship document.

Discuss arrangements for minor children with a qualified estate-planning attorney and your insurer. Avoid relying on an informal promise as a substitute for properly completed documents.

A short checklist for this week

• Review the names and contact details on your current policy.
• Ask how any benefits for a minor would be handled.
• Choose a trusted person to tell where the policy and care instructions are kept.
• Use the budget guide to choose a payment you could keep up with.
• Write down one question for Timmy rather than waiting for every detail to be perfect.

Keep the plan easy to find

The free family kit gives you space for contacts and document locations. Keep your completed copy in a safe place your trusted person can access. It helps organize information; it does not make legal or policy changes.

Revisit the plan after a move, a new job, a change in care arrangements, or another major change in your household.