Our Stories

Regional News: Five ways to avoid admin chaos after the death of a loved one

January 12, 2026

Death and taxes come for us all in the end, and now a financial expert is warning about the admin nightmare that can follow the death of a loved one – and five simple steps to avoid it.

With an estimated £89 billion sitting in unclaimed UK assets – from loved ones being unable to locate bank accounts, investments or insurance policies – being organised in advance is vital.

Sadmin, as it has become known, can be a huge burden for those left behind, as David Alexander the founder of Legacy Hub – an online vault for memories and financial information – explains.

His advice follows a recent Legacy Hub study that suggests nearly half the nation will leave their family managing the stress of their unsettled affairs – on top of the heartbreak after death.

David says: “Millions of Brits fear their death would leave loved ones scrambling around for important paperwork – heaping undue stress on top of the heartbreak.

“And it’s alarming to discover that almost half (48%) of Brits are worrying that if they died tomorrow, their nearest and dearest would be unable to find vital documents.

“Incredibly over a fifth (22%) of over 65s in the UK don’t have a will meaning if the worst were to happen, their families would be left guessing about what they would like for a funeral.

“And nearly six in ten Brits (56%) admitted that they currently don’t even have a will written or digitally saved.”

From insurance details to bank accounts and email passwords to social media accounts, family members often bear a considerable burden to manage the affairs of their dearly departed.

Here David shares the five most important things to have in place, to make end of life planning easier and less stressful for families, when the inevitable time comes for a member.

1. Fix your Financial and Legal Affairs

David says: “Having your legal and financial affairs accessible and organised is key to reducing confusion, conflict and stress later.

“Having a Will or Trust sounds obvious, but it’s amazing how many people don’t. You need something that clearly states who inherits what and who is in charge – the executor.

“You’ll need to appoint someone as Power of Attorney. This is someone authorized to manage finances if the person can’t.

“Having a living will, also known as an advanced healthcare directive is important. This will outline any potential medical wishes – like life support and resuscitation – should the need arise.”

2. Don’t forget your Digital Legacy

David says: “An often overlooked but increasingly important area is providing details on how to access your online accounts through passwords or password manager access.

“Pulling together a digital accounts list with your email, social media, subscriptions and cloud storage with access to your photography is vital.

“Thinking about what you want done with your social media account is also key – do you want them memorialized, deleted, or simply to freeze the account and hand it over to your loved ones?

“Leaving a list of direct debit bills such as utility, phone and streaming services is also very useful.”

3. Establish any funeral or after-death wishes

David says: “It’s amazing how many people die without leaving any indication of how they would like to be remembered in their funeral.

“Leaving behind an idea of preferences, helps loved ones avoid guesswork during a time of grief.

“Whether you want to be buried or cremated is a key question to provide answers to. And following on from this, where would you like your ashes to be scattered, or yourself buried?

“Do you have any specific funeral wishes – would you prefer a religious, secular, private or public funeral?

“Perhaps you have already been saving for your own funeral, and there is an account somewhere with it all set up – this is something you’ll want your loved ones to be able to find.”

4. Personal effects

David says: “Although not ‘official’ documents – letters, photos and keepsakes are often seen as the most meaningful of the things you leave behind.

“Letters or messages often have far more of a draw than all manner of valuable objects.

“It might also be helpful to provide an idea of how you might want to be remembered, if there is anything you might want to leave as an ongoing legacy in your name.”

5. Don’t procrastinate – do it today

David says: “Time and time again we hear from families who have unfortunately lost out on gifts from their loved ones due to misplaced paperwork.

“At an emotional time, it is difficult to remember where everything might have been stored, and this is why Legacy Hub was founded.

“Taking action and getting your estate sorted today, could save you a huge amount of emotional and financial stress in the long term.”