---
title: Check what sits beside your will | Plan Before You Die
url: https://planbeforeyoudie.app/tools/is-a-will-enough
source: Plan Before You Die
---

# Check what sits beside your will

A will gives instructions for your property after you die, as California Courts describes it. It doesn't cover who speaks for you if you can't decide, Medicare and Social Security permissions, or your phone and email. Tick what you've arranged to see what to review.

- Official sources

Your choices stay on this page. We do not save or send them.

Tick what you have arranged

- I know where my will is kept

- I have a plan for my phone

- I have a plan for my email

- My care wishes can be found

- I have chosen who could speak for me

- I reviewed Medicare permission

- I reviewed my Social Security choices

- My family knows where my plan is

## What does a will not cover?
- **I know where my will is kept**

Write down where the signed original is kept and tell someone you trust. Ask a lawyer in your state if you can't find it. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/guides/planning/what-your-family-needs-to-know).

- **I have a plan for my phone**

Review your phone and the official account settings you use. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/guides/phones/digital-legacy).

- **I have a plan for my email**

Review the official recovery and preparation routes for your email. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/guides/phones/email-on-your-phone).

- **My care wishes can be found**

Review where your existing care wishes are kept. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/guides/health/healthcare-decisions-day).

- **I have chosen who could speak for me**

Ask a lawyer in your state about the legal papers for your wishes. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/guides/planning/what-your-family-needs-to-know).

- **I reviewed Medicare permission**

Review the permission for Medicare to discuss your claims. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/medicare-form).

- **I reviewed my Social Security choices**

Review advance designation for someone who could manage benefits if needed. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/guides/benefits/social-security-advance-designation).

- **My family knows where my plan is**

Show someone you choose where the important papers and contact list are kept. [Read the guide](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/talk).

## What does this check look at?

### Does this judge my will?

No. The check records practical preparations. It does not interpret your will or decide whether a legal document is valid.

### Does every will work the same way?

No. The source definition is from California Courts. Ask a lawyer in your state about your own papers and circumstances.

### Why include permissions and phone settings?

They are practical questions your family may face alongside finding a will. Review each arrangement through the official service or the professional who advises you.

## How does this tool work?
- **What it does**

See what a will doesn't cover, such as who speaks for you if you can't decide, Medicare and Social Security permissions, and your phone and email.

- **How it decides**

Every item you leave unticked goes on your list to review, with a link to the guide or official page for it.

- **Your answers**

It runs in your browser. Nothing you choose here is saved or sent to us.

- **What it is based on**

The will description comes from [California Courts](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/wills-estates-probate/legal-documents). The practical items follow our [Family Readiness Standard](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/standard). We review the checklist each year. We recheck each official source at least once a year and update this page when one changes.

- **What it doesn't do**

It doesn't read or judge your will, and it doesn't tell you which legal papers to sign. Ask a lawyer in your state. It covers the United States. This is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice.

This tool is general information, not legal advice. Something wrong here? Tell us.

## Where do these facts come from?

| Fact | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| California Courts describes a will as a legal document stating how you want property distributed after death. | [California Courts (current official source)](https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/wills-estates-probate/legal-documents) | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Advance designation records your choices but does not appoint a representative payee. | [Social Security Administration](https://www.ssa.gov/payee/advance_designation.htm) | Oct 15, 2026 |

Facts approved by the [Plan Before You Die editor](https://planbeforeyoudie.app/editorial-policy).