IMPORTANT: This guide is for general educational purposes for U.S. adults with relatively simple finances. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. HeirLight is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws vary by state; consider consulting a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
When you sit down to write a will, one of the first questions is, “What exactly should I list?”
A will doesn’t need to include every tiny detail of your life, but it does need to give clear instructions about who receives your belongings and who handles things on your behalf.
The good news: for many people with straightforward finances, you don’t need legal language, complicated forms, or a lawyer to decide what to include. You just need a simple, organized approach. Organizations such as AARP and the American Bar Association emphasize that clarity and proper signing usually matter more than perfect legal phrasing.
This guide walks you through what you should (and shouldn’t) include in a will so nothing important is missed.
What Your Will Should Cover
A complete basic will usually addresses:
Your financial assets (money, accounts, certain policies)
Your personal belongings (sentimental and valuable items)
Digital assets (accounts, files, access)
Who inherits what (your beneficiaries)
Who handles everything (your executor)
Guardianship decisions (if you have children or pets)
Below is a structured breakdown of each category.
1. Financial Assets
You don’t need account numbers or exact balances, just enough clarity so your executor knows what you mean.
Common items to include:
Bank accounts (checking, savings, credit unions)
Investment accounts
Retirement accounts (401(k), IRA)
CDs or brokerage accounts
Any financial accounts you intend to distribute through your will rather than a separate beneficiary form
Organizations such as AARP note that a simple, organized list of financial accounts reduces confusion and helps prevent conflict later.
How to write it:
“My savings account at Chase goes to my daughter.”
“My Fidelity investment account goes to my brother.”
2. Personal Property
These are the everyday items that matter to you or your family.
You don’t need to list every spoon or T‑shirt; focus on meaningful or potentially contested items.
Include:
Jewelry
Family heirlooms
Collectibles
Furniture or artwork
Electronics or hobby equipment
Examples:
“My grandmother’s necklace goes to my niece.”
“My guitar goes to my best friend.”
Clear instructions avoid future disagreements, which AARP notes are extremely common when sentimental items aren’t specified.
3. Real Estate
If you’re a renter, you can skip this part.
If you own:
A home
A rental property
Land
Co‑owned real estate
Simply state who should receive your share.
Example:
“I leave my home at 123 Bay Street to my spouse.”
You do not need:
A deed copy
A full legal description
Coordinates or parcel numbers
Simple, accurate identification is usually enough.
4. Digital Assets
This is a big category people often forget.
Include:
Email accounts
Cloud storage
Social media accounts
Subscriptions or digital services
Digital photos or files
Password managers
Cryptocurrency or digital wallets
Legal resources, including Cornell Law’s Legal Information Institute, note that digital assets are increasingly part of modern estate planning and should be clearly addressed.
Example:
“I give access to my digital accounts and cloud storage to my executor.”
If you use a password manager, don’t list passwords in your will (wills can become public record). Instead, state who should receive access and make sure they can locate your password manager information securely.
5. Beneficiary‑Specific Gifts
These are specific items or amounts you want to leave to specific people.
Typical bequests:
Sentimental items
Particular sums of money
A car
A piece of jewelry
A book or art collection
A pet
Why this matters: bequests reduce ambiguity. Organizations such as NCOA explain that unclear instructions are a major reason estates face delays or disputes.
6. Your Executor
Your executor is the person who carries out your wishes.
They’ll typically:
Pay any outstanding bills and final expenses
Distribute assets
File necessary paperwork
Close accounts
Make sure your instructions are followed
Choose someone organized, calm, and trustworthy. Many people choose a spouse, adult child, or close friend. You can also name a backup executor in case your first choice cannot serve.
7. Guardianship
If you’re a parent or pet owner, this may be the most important part of your will.
Include:
A primary guardian
A backup guardian
Any specific wishes or notes (school preferences, values, pet care details, etc.)
Example:
“I name my sister as guardian of my children, and my cousin as alternate guardian.”
You can keep this section brief. The key is naming someone, rather than leaving the decision entirely to a court.
8. Debts and Liabilities
You don’t have to list every individual debt, but you can include general guidance such as:
“Any remaining debts should be handled using funds from my estate.”
Your executor, often with professional help, will handle the specifics of paying creditors according to state law.
9. What Not to Include in a Will
This is just as important as what you do include.
Do NOT include:
Passwords
PIN numbers
Detailed account numbers
Funeral or burial instructions (these are often better in a separate document shared with family)
Anything you want kept private (wills can become public record in probate)
Assets with their own beneficiary forms
Some assets usually bypass the will entirely and go directly to the named beneficiary:
Life insurance
Retirement accounts
Some pensions
Payable‑on‑death (POD) or transfer‑on‑death (TOD) bank and investment accounts
If you want to update who receives these, do it directly with the provider, not in your will.
10. How to List Assets Clearly
Use this simple formula:
Name the asset
Describe it in plain language (no legal jargon required)
Say who gets it
Examples:
“My Honda Civic goes to my son.”
“My wedding ring goes to my granddaughter.”
“My savings account at Wells Fargo goes to my spouse.”
According to the American Bar Association, clarity and proper execution typically matter far more than using perfect legal language. When in doubt, write your wishes in the simplest, clearest way possible.
Create Your Will with HeirLight
HeirLight helps you turn this checklist into a real, usable will.
Guided questions in plain English
Coverage for your will, healthcare directive, and power of attorney in one experience
Designed for first‑time planners and people with simple estates who want clarity without overwhelm
You start for $0, work through each decision, and then print and sign your documents according to your state’s rules.
Important: HeirLight is not a law firm and does not provide legal, tax, or financial advice. Our tools are educational and self‑help in nature. For complex situations or legal advice about your specific circumstances, you should consult a licensed attorney.
If you’ve been “meaning to do this for years,” consider using this checklist and HeirLight to get a basic plan in place. Your future self (and your family) will be glad you did.
Frequently asked questions
No. Focus on meaningful items, high‑value assets, and anything that might cause confusion or conflict if left unspecified. The rest will generally fall into your “residual estate.”
Usually not. AARP and NCOA both note that simple descriptions (bank name, type of account) are usually enough for your executor to identify the asset.
Not always. Organizations such as NCOA and ACTEC suggest that many people with simple estates can create a basic will on their own using clear language and proper signing. However, a lawyer can be very helpful if you have complex assets, a blended family, or expect disputes.
Anything not specifically listed is generally handled as part of your “residual estate,” which your will can assign to a person (or people) as a catch‑all.
Yes. Email, cloud storage, photos, and online accounts are now standard parts of modern estates. Your will can state who should receive access and how those accounts should be handled.
