FamiliaLista › FamiliaLista › Guides
Guides to get your family ready
The things nobody taught us to prepare, explained practically: accounts, instructions, emergencies, and the difference between inheriting and operating. No legalese, no doom — just the plan.
Veterans & military families
What a veteran's family will need, how to get the papers, and the VA and Texas benefits they can claim. Plain language, with every number sourced.
What your family will need if you're a veteran: the complete checklist
The papers, numbers and wishes a veteran's family will be asked for, gathered once, in one place.How to get your DD-214, and why your family needs a copy now
eVetRecs, milConnect or the SF-180 form, what next of kin need, and why to get it before you need it.VA survivor benefits: what your family can claim, how long it takes, and what slows it down
DIC, the Survivors Pension, the one-year window, and the paperwork that keeps a claim moving.VA burial benefits and pre-need eligibility: a family's guide
What a national cemetery burial includes, how to schedule it, and how a pre-need letter spares your family a step.Texas benefits for veteran families
The homestead exemption, Hazlewood tuition, VLB loans, state cemeteries and veterans homes, and who qualifies.
The papers, numbers and wishes a veteran's family will be asked for, gathered once, in one place.How to get your DD-214, and why your family needs a copy now
eVetRecs, milConnect or the SF-180 form, what next of kin need, and why to get it before you need it.VA survivor benefits: what your family can claim, how long it takes, and what slows it down
DIC, the Survivors Pension, the one-year window, and the paperwork that keeps a claim moving.VA burial benefits and pre-need eligibility: a family's guide
What a national cemetery burial includes, how to schedule it, and how a pre-need letter spares your family a step.Texas benefits for veteran families
The homestead exemption, Hazlewood tuition, VLB loans, state cemeteries and veterans homes, and who qualifies.
Tribal Nations & trust land
What an Indian trust probate case waits on, how it works, wills under AIPRA, and IIM accounts. Plain language, with every number sourced.
Indian trust probate: what your family will need, and how to get it ready now
The 12 papers a trust probate case waits on, where each one comes from, and how to keep them findable for your family.How Indian trust probate works: steps, who decides, and what slows it down
The BIA builds the file, an Interior judge decides, then land and money are distributed. What happens at each step.Writing a will for trust land: what AIPRA means for your family
AIPRA’s default rules, the single heir rule for small interests, who you can leave trust land to, and where to find help writing a will.IIM accounts and trust land: what your heirs need to know
What happens to an IIM account and trust land at death, how heirs find the land records, and when the money is paid out.
The 12 papers a trust probate case waits on, where each one comes from, and how to keep them findable for your family.How Indian trust probate works: steps, who decides, and what slows it down
The BIA builds the file, an Interior judge decides, then land and money are distributed. What happens at each step.Writing a will for trust land: what AIPRA means for your family
AIPRA’s default rules, the single heir rule for small interests, who you can leave trust land to, and where to find help writing a will.IIM accounts and trust land: what your heirs need to know
What happens to an IIM account and trust land at death, how heirs find the land records, and when the money is paid out.
First responder families
What a Texas police, fire or EMS family receives after a line-of-duty death, and what to have ready. Every number sourced.
If a Texas first responder dies in the line of duty: what the family receives and what they’ll need
Chapter 615, PSOB, pension, workers’ comp, insurance and the homestead exemption, with who to call for each.PSOB: the federal benefit for families of fallen public safety officers
The $461,656 federal benefit for FY2026 deaths: who qualifies, who receives it, the documents and the filing deadline.The first responder family checklist: what to have ready
Agency details, pension and beneficiaries, insurance, family records, funeral and honor-guard wishes, and who to call first.Texas first responder pensions and survivor benefits: TMRS, TCDRS and fire fighter pensions
How TMRS, TCDRS and local fire fighters’ systems handle a member’s death, what survivors file, and where to call.
Chapter 615, PSOB, pension, workers’ comp, insurance and the homestead exemption, with who to call for each.PSOB: the federal benefit for families of fallen public safety officers
The $461,656 federal benefit for FY2026 deaths: who qualifies, who receives it, the documents and the filing deadline.The first responder family checklist: what to have ready
Agency details, pension and beneficiaries, insurance, family records, funeral and honor-guard wishes, and who to call first.Texas first responder pensions and survivor benefits: TMRS, TCDRS and fire fighter pensions
How TMRS, TCDRS and local fire fighters’ systems handle a member’s death, what survivors file, and where to call.
All guides
Who to notify when someone dies: the complete checklist
A calm, printable list of who to notify when someone dies: Social Security, banks, insurers, credit bureaus, employer, DMV and…What happens if you die without a will in Texas
No will in Texas? State law decides who inherits: spouse, children, parents, siblings. See how separate and community property…How to report a death to Social Security
Who reports a death to Social Security, what to do if no one has, the one-time $255 payment, the deposit you must send back,…Who gets your accounts: beneficiaries, POD and joint accounts in Texas
Which accounts skip the will in Texas, why a joint account needs a survivorship agreement, how divorce changes beneficiaries, and how to check yours.Debts and bills after a death in Texas: who pays and what to do
Who pays a loved one's debts in Texas, what to do about the mortgage and automatic payments, credit life insurance, and what debt collectors can't say.Health coverage and workplace benefits after a death
How a family keeps health insurance after a death (COBRA, Texas continuation, the Marketplace) and what to ask HR about final pay, life insurance and a 401(k).Texas statutory durable power of attorney: how to fill it out and sign
What a Texas durable power of attorney lets your agent do, where to get the free statutory form, how to sign and record it, and how banks must handle it.Your my Social Security account: letters, deposits and earnings
How to open a my Social Security account, download a benefit letter and the SSA-1099, check your earnings record and deposits, and how family can help.Your business papers: what your family will need (Texas)
The business papers a Texas family needs if an owner dies or gets sick: formation, assumed name, EIN, franchise tax, LLC agreement, payroll and final returns.Your funeral wishes, and who has the right to decide (Texas)
Who decides on burial or cremation in Texas, the form to name that person, what Texas allows with ashes, and how to write down the service you want.Emergency medical information your family should have
The medical information your family needs in an emergency: medicines and doses, allergies, conditions, doctors here and in Mexico, and Medical ID on your phone.VA letters and military records: how to get them
How to download VA benefit letters, check a claim, get a VA health ID card, request military records, and what happens to a veteran's pending claim at death.The military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) after a death
What the military Survivor Benefit Plan pays, how to check who is covered, how a spouse claims it, SBP with DIC, remarriage before 55, and Reserve SBP.How to make a will in Texas and keep the original safe
What makes a Texas will valid, the free Supreme Court will forms, the self-proving affidavit, low-cost help, and leaving the original with the county clerk.Moving to assisted living or a nursing home in Texas: what to bring
What Texas assisted living and nursing homes ask for at admission: the doctor's exam, your cards and IDs, who signs, your spending money account, and why.How hospice starts in Texas: the election statement and who signs
How Medicare hospice starts: who signs the election statement, choosing your doctor, what hospice won't cover, changing or stopping, and grief support.Living trust or a will in Texas: which does your family need?
Texas probate is simpler than in many states. When a will plus a transfer on death deed is enough, when a living trust helps, and what to ask an attorney.How to replace a Social Security card
A replacement Social Security card is free. How to request one, the ID you need, the yearly limit, and why your family should know where the card is.How to get a certified birth certificate in Texas
Order a Texas birth certificate online, by mail, in person or from a local office: who can order, the ID you need, the fee, and actas from Mexico.Marriage and divorce records in Texas: where to get copies
Certified marriage licenses come from the county clerk, divorce decrees from the district clerk. What the state verification letter is, and Mexican records.How to find a property deed in Texas
Texas deeds are recorded with the county clerk. How to get a copy, what the appraisal district shows, transfer on death deeds, heirs, and property in Mexico.Texas homestead exemption: how much it saves and how to apply
School districts exempt $140,000 of your home's value, plus $60,000 at 65 or with a disability. How to apply, the tax ceiling, surviving spouses and heirs.How to transfer a vehicle title after a death in Texas
Transfer a car after the owner dies in Texas: probate letters, the heirship affidavit (VTR-262), survivorship, beneficiary designation, and a lost title.Texas Medicaid for a nursing home: how to apply and what to bring
How to apply for Texas Medicaid nursing facility care: Form H1200, the 2026 income and resource limits, the 60-month look-back, and the papers to gather.HIPAA release and out-of-hospital DNR in Texas: what each one does
A HIPAA authorization lets doctors talk to the people you name. A Texas out-of-hospital DNR tells responders not to start CPR. Who signs, where to keep them.The final tax return after a death: who files and how
Who files a final federal tax return for someone who died, when it is due, how to mark it, when you need Form 1310, and when an estate files Form 1041.What an executor does in Texas, step by step
How a Texas executor gets letters testamentary, how independent administration and muniment of title work, the 4-year deadline, and what happens with no will.Prepaid funeral contracts and cemetery plots in Texas
How Texas prepaid funeral contracts work, how to check a seller, cancellation and transfers, who handles complaints, and what to keep with your family plan.Bank accounts, Afore and property in Mexico after a death
What happens to Mexican bank accounts, Afore savings and property when a family member dies, and how the consulate helps with the acta and a testamento.Widows and widowers: survivor benefit or your own retirement first?
Qualify for a survivor benefit and your own retirement? Social Security pays one, and you can switch later. How the order works and what an audit found.Social Security survivor benefits for children: who qualifies and how it works
When a parent dies, children under 18, students up to 19 and adults disabled before 22 can get up to 75% of the parent's benefit. Who qualifies and what to bring.Texas Medicaid Estate Recovery (MERP): what families should know
If a parent got Medicaid long-term care in Texas after 55, the state may claim against the estate. When it does, when it doesn't, and hardship waivers.Medicare when a spouse dies, and how to sign up
How to report a death to Medicare, which plans to call, what happens if your coverage came through your spouse's job, and when to sign up for Medicare yourself.Social Security survivor benefits: who qualifies and how much
Who can get Social Security survivor benefits (spouse, ex-spouse, children, parents), how much each gets, how far back it pays, and how to apply.Can an ex-spouse get Social Security survivor benefits?
Yes, if the marriage lasted 10 years and you are 60 or older. The rules on remarriage, how much, how far back it pays, and what to bring.Social Security survivor benefits: the documents checklist
The documents Social Security asks survivors for: proof of death, Social Security numbers, birth, marriage and divorce records, W-2s and bank details. Printable.Social Security and Medicare papers to gather now
The Social Security and Medicare papers to gather for yourself or your parents now, so a spouse, ex-spouse or child can claim benefits fast later.Texas medical power of attorney: who speaks for you if you can't
What a Texas medical power of attorney does, who can be your agent, how to sign it (two witnesses or a notary), and where to…How to get a death certificate in Texas
Who can request a Texas death certificate, the state fees ($20 first copy, $3 each extra), the 3 ways to order, how many to…How to bring a loved one home to Mexico from the US
How to bring a loved one from the US to Mexico: the funeral home, the documents (apostille, transit permit), the consulate,…How to find and claim a deceased person's unclaimed money in Texas
Forgotten paychecks, deposits, refunds? How an heir searches ClaimItTexas for a deceased person's unclaimed property, who can…How to find a deceased person's life insurance policy
No policy paperwork? How to search for a deceased person's life insurance: the free NAIC locator, bank and mail clues,…What happens to my accounts if I die?
What happens to your bank, digital, and business accounts if you die without instructions — and how to spare y…How to leave instructions for your family (in one afternoon)
A practical guide to leaving your family the essential instructions: accounts, payments, contacts, and wishes …If your life hits pause: the emergency plan
An accident or hospitalization can pause your life without warning. How to make sure your home and business ke…Will vs. life operations manual: what each one covers
A will decides who inherits; a life manual solves what to do tomorrow morning. Why your family needs both and …How to start the conversation with your family
Why it's hard, gentle ways to open the door, and exactly what to cover — so no one has to guess.Questions to cover at the family table
The list to sit down together and cover what matters: money, documents, health, wishes and more.Digital accounts & RUFADAA
Who can access your accounts after death, the law's 3-tier priority, and the steps that actually work.Digital inheritance in Mexico
Mexico's digital-legacy law, the 'albacea digital,' and how to leave your accounts ready — plus other countries.What to do when a family member dies: step by step
The list for the first days, weeks, and months — so you're not guessing through the fog.Emergency binder: what to include
Everything your family would need in one place: documents, accounts, insurance, wishes, and access. Printable.How to protect your business if you can't work
If you're out for weeks — or for good — does the business survive? The continuity plan no one tells owners to make.Power of attorney vs. will: what each does
They cover different timelines: a POA for while you're alive but can't act; a will for after. Why you need both.How to talk to aging parents about money
Why it's hard, gentle ways to open the door with respect, and what to find out before a crisis hits.What happens to your photos and crypto
The two things families lose most: your memories and your crypto. How to make sure neither disappears.How much does a funeral cost?
The real U.S. numbers, why it hits families so hard, and how to plan so no one over-pays in grief.How to organize your important documents
Identity, property, money, insurance, legal, and digital — in one place, so your family finds everything fast.What is a death doula?
What they do, how they differ from hospice, and how their support pairs with a practical plan.Life insurance basics for families
Term vs. whole, how much you need, and the mistake that quietly undoes your family's protection.
A calm, printable list of who to notify when someone dies: Social Security, banks, insurers, credit bureaus, employer, DMV and…What happens if you die without a will in Texas
No will in Texas? State law decides who inherits: spouse, children, parents, siblings. See how separate and community property…How to report a death to Social Security
Who reports a death to Social Security, what to do if no one has, the one-time $255 payment, the deposit you must send back,…Who gets your accounts: beneficiaries, POD and joint accounts in Texas
Which accounts skip the will in Texas, why a joint account needs a survivorship agreement, how divorce changes beneficiaries, and how to check yours.Debts and bills after a death in Texas: who pays and what to do
Who pays a loved one's debts in Texas, what to do about the mortgage and automatic payments, credit life insurance, and what debt collectors can't say.Health coverage and workplace benefits after a death
How a family keeps health insurance after a death (COBRA, Texas continuation, the Marketplace) and what to ask HR about final pay, life insurance and a 401(k).Texas statutory durable power of attorney: how to fill it out and sign
What a Texas durable power of attorney lets your agent do, where to get the free statutory form, how to sign and record it, and how banks must handle it.Your my Social Security account: letters, deposits and earnings
How to open a my Social Security account, download a benefit letter and the SSA-1099, check your earnings record and deposits, and how family can help.Your business papers: what your family will need (Texas)
The business papers a Texas family needs if an owner dies or gets sick: formation, assumed name, EIN, franchise tax, LLC agreement, payroll and final returns.Your funeral wishes, and who has the right to decide (Texas)
Who decides on burial or cremation in Texas, the form to name that person, what Texas allows with ashes, and how to write down the service you want.Emergency medical information your family should have
The medical information your family needs in an emergency: medicines and doses, allergies, conditions, doctors here and in Mexico, and Medical ID on your phone.VA letters and military records: how to get them
How to download VA benefit letters, check a claim, get a VA health ID card, request military records, and what happens to a veteran's pending claim at death.The military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) after a death
What the military Survivor Benefit Plan pays, how to check who is covered, how a spouse claims it, SBP with DIC, remarriage before 55, and Reserve SBP.How to make a will in Texas and keep the original safe
What makes a Texas will valid, the free Supreme Court will forms, the self-proving affidavit, low-cost help, and leaving the original with the county clerk.Moving to assisted living or a nursing home in Texas: what to bring
What Texas assisted living and nursing homes ask for at admission: the doctor's exam, your cards and IDs, who signs, your spending money account, and why.How hospice starts in Texas: the election statement and who signs
How Medicare hospice starts: who signs the election statement, choosing your doctor, what hospice won't cover, changing or stopping, and grief support.Living trust or a will in Texas: which does your family need?
Texas probate is simpler than in many states. When a will plus a transfer on death deed is enough, when a living trust helps, and what to ask an attorney.How to replace a Social Security card
A replacement Social Security card is free. How to request one, the ID you need, the yearly limit, and why your family should know where the card is.How to get a certified birth certificate in Texas
Order a Texas birth certificate online, by mail, in person or from a local office: who can order, the ID you need, the fee, and actas from Mexico.Marriage and divorce records in Texas: where to get copies
Certified marriage licenses come from the county clerk, divorce decrees from the district clerk. What the state verification letter is, and Mexican records.How to find a property deed in Texas
Texas deeds are recorded with the county clerk. How to get a copy, what the appraisal district shows, transfer on death deeds, heirs, and property in Mexico.Texas homestead exemption: how much it saves and how to apply
School districts exempt $140,000 of your home's value, plus $60,000 at 65 or with a disability. How to apply, the tax ceiling, surviving spouses and heirs.How to transfer a vehicle title after a death in Texas
Transfer a car after the owner dies in Texas: probate letters, the heirship affidavit (VTR-262), survivorship, beneficiary designation, and a lost title.Texas Medicaid for a nursing home: how to apply and what to bring
How to apply for Texas Medicaid nursing facility care: Form H1200, the 2026 income and resource limits, the 60-month look-back, and the papers to gather.HIPAA release and out-of-hospital DNR in Texas: what each one does
A HIPAA authorization lets doctors talk to the people you name. A Texas out-of-hospital DNR tells responders not to start CPR. Who signs, where to keep them.The final tax return after a death: who files and how
Who files a final federal tax return for someone who died, when it is due, how to mark it, when you need Form 1310, and when an estate files Form 1041.What an executor does in Texas, step by step
How a Texas executor gets letters testamentary, how independent administration and muniment of title work, the 4-year deadline, and what happens with no will.Prepaid funeral contracts and cemetery plots in Texas
How Texas prepaid funeral contracts work, how to check a seller, cancellation and transfers, who handles complaints, and what to keep with your family plan.Bank accounts, Afore and property in Mexico after a death
What happens to Mexican bank accounts, Afore savings and property when a family member dies, and how the consulate helps with the acta and a testamento.Widows and widowers: survivor benefit or your own retirement first?
Qualify for a survivor benefit and your own retirement? Social Security pays one, and you can switch later. How the order works and what an audit found.Social Security survivor benefits for children: who qualifies and how it works
When a parent dies, children under 18, students up to 19 and adults disabled before 22 can get up to 75% of the parent's benefit. Who qualifies and what to bring.Texas Medicaid Estate Recovery (MERP): what families should know
If a parent got Medicaid long-term care in Texas after 55, the state may claim against the estate. When it does, when it doesn't, and hardship waivers.Medicare when a spouse dies, and how to sign up
How to report a death to Medicare, which plans to call, what happens if your coverage came through your spouse's job, and when to sign up for Medicare yourself.Social Security survivor benefits: who qualifies and how much
Who can get Social Security survivor benefits (spouse, ex-spouse, children, parents), how much each gets, how far back it pays, and how to apply.Can an ex-spouse get Social Security survivor benefits?
Yes, if the marriage lasted 10 years and you are 60 or older. The rules on remarriage, how much, how far back it pays, and what to bring.Social Security survivor benefits: the documents checklist
The documents Social Security asks survivors for: proof of death, Social Security numbers, birth, marriage and divorce records, W-2s and bank details. Printable.Social Security and Medicare papers to gather now
The Social Security and Medicare papers to gather for yourself or your parents now, so a spouse, ex-spouse or child can claim benefits fast later.Texas medical power of attorney: who speaks for you if you can't
What a Texas medical power of attorney does, who can be your agent, how to sign it (two witnesses or a notary), and where to…How to get a death certificate in Texas
Who can request a Texas death certificate, the state fees ($20 first copy, $3 each extra), the 3 ways to order, how many to…How to bring a loved one home to Mexico from the US
How to bring a loved one from the US to Mexico: the funeral home, the documents (apostille, transit permit), the consulate,…How to find and claim a deceased person's unclaimed money in Texas
Forgotten paychecks, deposits, refunds? How an heir searches ClaimItTexas for a deceased person's unclaimed property, who can…How to find a deceased person's life insurance policy
No policy paperwork? How to search for a deceased person's life insurance: the free NAIC locator, bank and mail clues,…What happens to my accounts if I die?
What happens to your bank, digital, and business accounts if you die without instructions — and how to spare y…How to leave instructions for your family (in one afternoon)
A practical guide to leaving your family the essential instructions: accounts, payments, contacts, and wishes …If your life hits pause: the emergency plan
An accident or hospitalization can pause your life without warning. How to make sure your home and business ke…Will vs. life operations manual: what each one covers
A will decides who inherits; a life manual solves what to do tomorrow morning. Why your family needs both and …How to start the conversation with your family
Why it's hard, gentle ways to open the door, and exactly what to cover — so no one has to guess.Questions to cover at the family table
The list to sit down together and cover what matters: money, documents, health, wishes and more.Digital accounts & RUFADAA
Who can access your accounts after death, the law's 3-tier priority, and the steps that actually work.Digital inheritance in Mexico
Mexico's digital-legacy law, the 'albacea digital,' and how to leave your accounts ready — plus other countries.What to do when a family member dies: step by step
The list for the first days, weeks, and months — so you're not guessing through the fog.Emergency binder: what to include
Everything your family would need in one place: documents, accounts, insurance, wishes, and access. Printable.How to protect your business if you can't work
If you're out for weeks — or for good — does the business survive? The continuity plan no one tells owners to make.Power of attorney vs. will: what each does
They cover different timelines: a POA for while you're alive but can't act; a will for after. Why you need both.How to talk to aging parents about money
Why it's hard, gentle ways to open the door with respect, and what to find out before a crisis hits.What happens to your photos and crypto
The two things families lose most: your memories and your crypto. How to make sure neither disappears.How much does a funeral cost?
The real U.S. numbers, why it hits families so hard, and how to plan so no one over-pays in grief.How to organize your important documents
Identity, property, money, insurance, legal, and digital — in one place, so your family finds everything fast.What is a death doula?
What they do, how they differ from hospice, and how their support pairs with a practical plan.Life insurance basics for families
Term vs. whole, how much you need, and the mistake that quietly undoes your family's protection.
Your life's operations manual, ready in an afternoon
FamiliaLista stores your instructions, messages, and access — and delivers them to your people only if you're ever gone or unreachable. By message and email, in English and Spanish.
Start free →Familia plan from $79/year · Your family, ready. No matter what.
Want this talk for your church, school or team?
Book a free workshop →
Frank Flores gives free family-readiness workshops, in English or Spanish.
Frequently asked questions
Are these guides free?
Yes — completely open. FamiliaLista — the platform that automates all of this — is live today: create your free account at app.familialista.com. Familia plan from $79/year.
What languages does the platform support?
English and Spanish — built for families who live between both.