The Family Ledger

The Family Ledger

Reader-supported reporting on family planning and digital estates

We Tested 5 Ways Families Try to Leave Account Access for Loved Ones. Only One Works When the Phone Is Locked.

Password notebooks. Google Docs. Password managers. Wills. Here is exactly where each one fails, and when it matters most.

A 2024 Bryn Mawr Trust survey found that 76% of Americans have little or no knowledge of digital estate planning.

Of the 24% who try to prepare, most reach for one of five tools: a password notebook, a shared Google Doc, a password manager, a will, or a quiet "we will figure it out" plan.

We tested all five against the one scenario every family eventually faces: the first 72 hours, when the phone is locked.

Lamorial

Lamorial Comparison Guide - 5 min read

Password Notebook: fails at the second door.

Password notebook

The notebook documents the login. But every major bank, email provider, investment account, and subscription platform now sends a verification code as Step 2.

The correct password gets the family to the screen that asks for a code. The code goes to the locked phone. The notebook has no answer for what happens next.

The moment it fails: the family types the correct password and sees, "A code has been sent to your phone." The phone is locked. The notebook does not mention this step exists.

Password notebook used for household account access

Google Doc / Spreadsheet: fails before it is opened.

Google Doc / spreadsheet

A shared Google Doc still requires a Google account to access. Accessing the Google account requires a login. That login can send a verification code to the account holder's phone.

If the document was saved in a personal Drive and not shared correctly, the family may not be able to access it at all. If it was shared, the recovery chain can still lead back to the locked device.

The moment it fails: Google accepts the password, then sends a verification code to the locked phone before the family can open the document.

Shared spreadsheet for family passwords

Password Manager: often the worst option of all.

Password manager

Password managers put everything behind a master password. But reaching the vault can require the app, an authenticator, a trusted device, or an emergency access setup most households never configure.

For the person left behind, it can become another locked account inside the same locked-phone problem.

The moment it fails: the family downloads the password manager, enters the master password, and the app sends a two-factor code to the account holder's phone.

Password manager app behind two-factor authentication

Will / Legal Documents: designed for the courthouse, not the phone store.

Will / legal documents

A will establishes what happens to assets after death. A power of attorney can establish legal authority. Neither one provides operational access to phone PINs, email recovery, 2FA verification chains, or the practical details a family needs in the first 72 hours.

The legal right to act is not the same as the practical ability to log in.

The moment it fails: the bank confirms authority, then asks for a code sent to the account holder's locked phone.

Legal documents beside a locked phone

Lamorial: starts with the locked-phone problem.

Starts where every other approach stops

The Lamorial planner does not start with the accounts. It starts with the phone, the passcode, what to do when Face ID stops working, and how verification codes flow from the device to each account.

Then it maps every account in order: login, verification method, backup method, recovery email, authenticator app, and backup codes. Every door, in sequence, in the order a family member would actually need to open them.

A family member with a completed Lamorial planner can follow instructions instead of guessing under pressure.

The moment it works: the family opens the planner, finds the phone passcode, follows the backup verification path, and reaches the account without starting from scratch.

The Lamorial planner

Bob D. thought he had every base covered.

Verified buyer Bob D.

"Love the layout and simplicity. I thought I had all bases covered, but I love having it all in one little book."

What people found when they sat down and actually filled it out

Lamorial is positioned for readers who already tried a password list, spreadsheet, password manager, or will and need to understand why those tools fail operationally.

4.8 out of 2212 reviews

William M. found the missing information took time to gather.

Verified buyer William M.

"Working my way through it. Amazed at the time it is taking to find the information needed. This clearly shows how necessary and valuable a book like this is. Glad I bought it."

Debra S. found details she would not have thought of alone.

Verified buyer Debra S.

"It has helped me think of many things that I would have never thought of on my own. It's very good. I now have much work to do."

You have already tried something. Now use the one that works when the phone is locked.

The Lamorial End of Life Planner maps every account from the phone to the backup code, in the order your family will actually need it. One weekend. 83 pages. No tech required.

83 guided pages that start with the phone, then map every account from login to backup code in the order your family would actually need it.

Free shipping. 30-day free returns. Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off when ordering two.

How each approach performs when a phone is locked

Password Notebook Google Doc / Spreadsheet Password Manager Will / Legal Documents Lamorial Planner
📱Works when phone is locked No No No No Yes
🔐Covers 2FA and verification chains No No No No Yes
👪Usable by a non-technical family member Partial - only after the phone is unlocked Partial - depends on access No - often requires the phone to open Partial - legal process required Yes
🗓️Completable in a weekend Yes Yes No - emergency access must be set up first No Yes

Most common approaches fail on the criteria that matter most in the first 72 hours.

Why Lamorial works when the other tools stop early

✓ Starts with phone passcodes, Face ID backups, and PINs
✓ Maps every account through login, 2FA, backup, and recovery codes
✓ 83 guided pages with prompts, never a blank page
✓ Completable in one weekend
✓ No app, no subscription, no login required

If your backup plan stops at passwords, it stops too early.

Get the one that works

Common questions

Quick answers for families comparing password notebooks, spreadsheets, password managers, wills, and Lamorial.

Can't I just leave the master password for my password manager?

Usually no. Many password managers still depend on a trusted device, authenticator app, emergency access workflow, or two-factor code. If that chain points back to the locked phone, the master password alone is not enough.

I have a will. Doesn't that cover this?

A will is important, but it is not an operational access plan. It does not tell a family how to unlock the phone, receive verification codes, find backup codes, access email, or cancel subscriptions in the first 72 hours.

My family is technically capable. Won't they figure it out?

Technical ability helps, but grief changes the environment. Lamorial reduces the number of decisions and dead ends by putting the access path in order before anyone needs it.

Is it worth it?

If your family would need your phone, email, bank access, subscription details, or recovery codes during an emergency, the value is in removing guesswork at the exact moment they are least equipped to handle it.

Get the one that works when the phone is locked.

Get the One That Works