Best Mac-friendly software to organize personal info for my spouse

You’ve got some great foresight planning that out! If you want something simple and Apple-friendly, try Numbers — it’s like Excel but cleaner and easier to update on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. You could also move the info into Apple Notes and lock it with a password so it’s secure but still super easy to read and search.

If you’d like something a bit more powerful, FileMaker Pro can handle organized, searchable databases. And if security’s a top priority, a password manager like 1Password is perfect — you can store documents, logins, and notes all in one safe, easy-to-navigate place for your spouse.

Good discussion.

My own current thoughts re: “location” of the detailed info “store” …

First, it assumes the use of Apple’s Legacy Contact(s).

How to add a Legacy Contact for your Apple Account - Apple Support

Your Legacy Contact is preferably an Apple User so as to best leverage Apple’s already built-in security linkages. Ideally he/she should also be your designated executor/executrix.

Create a “When I’m Gone” unshared folder on your iCloud drive with all the myriad of details necessary to settle your estate. (This folder is on your iCloud drive so it’s contents are still secure, viewable only by you from your trusted devices)

Show this folder in-person to your Legacy Contact and/or Estate Executor.

The Legacy Contact will gain access to your Apple Account — including the “When I’m Gone” folder — only AFTER executing the steps outlined below:

Request access to an Apple Account as a Legacy Contact - Apple Support

Ours is an Apple-only household.

Then why are you using Microsoft Excel? Microsoft is notorious for imposing required paid upgrades for the privilege of continuing to open and use documents created with their products.

For less than savvy users consider using something simple, such a printed document in the form of a will, a solution that has been used for centuries. Merely logging in to a Mac whose owner has died can be a challenge for even sophisticated users. If those login credentials are not completely perfect it will be literally impossible. They won't even get to the steps required for finding that Excel spreadsheet on that Mac, opening it, printing it, etc, and your work will have been in vain.

I suggest you don't use software at all.

If you have not done so already consider adding your spouse and / or as many others as you deem appropriate as a Legacy Contact: How to add a Legacy Contact for your Apple Account. That way, they will at least have access to your Apple Account, which can be used to reset login passwords used for your Apple devices.

I try to future-proof any important data I keep. I store it in the simplest formats possible, of which plain text is the simplest. I have files I wrote back in 1986 that I can still read today. They may not be have a nice font or special characters, but I can still open them 40 years later and 98% of the effort in something written is the actual content. I can't say that's the same for the files I wrote in Multimate (yeah, not many remember that). So now I may keep information in two formats, one as plain text—even "tables" can be made in plain text if you use a tab to space information. The plain text is for future-proofing. The other format may be in something such as a spreadsheet. Even then you may find certain formats have better longevity.

For plain text I just use TextEdit.

Providing my sister with the password to my master file but keeping the file itself here is my home-made two-factor authentication to getting access to the file. ;-)

Read about disk images here:

Create a disk image using Disk Utility on Mac - Apple Support

The sparse feature lets you create an image that can change in size as you need it. Select the encrypt button if you want it password protected.

Yes, it is a delicate topic but a worthwhile one (and a lot more interesting than 90% of the topics here which are the same questions I saw asked and answered 20 years ago. ;-) )

Dos un wrote:

I’m making a folder for my spouse in the event of my unexpected death. It contains identity and documents; subscriptions; financial details. It’s in an Excel spreadsheet. It’s messy/awkward/clumsy. I’d like to make it easy to (1) update; (2) display; (3) interrogate. The end user is less tech savvy than I. Ours is an Apple-only household.

What software might I look at?

If I get this right I would make a file for the spouse for me to use!

I have read all the replies and comments related to this post. It's a serious topic. Here are my thoughts:

• I have seen this happen with elderly family members, one left the computer all "set up" with information for the other not-very-computer-savvy spouse. What actually happened in this recent case (involving my parents) is that the surviving one was able to access everything needed via paper records stored with a trusted accountant and law firm, and was never able to utilize what was on the Mac, despite assistance from me and my brother and sister and others. She found the computer confusing and could not follow even simple instructions. But the paper records (stored securely) solved everything that needed solving. In the end, she continued using the computer only for email via a browser interface and never used it for anything else.
• With deserved respect to John Galt, if one is going to use a file to store information, an Excel file does make some sense because MS-Excel is universally used by all law firms, banks, accounting firms, etc. It is cross platform, they will be able to open it. I would guess for some decades into the future. It can be password protected with the password conveyed to the trustee, executor, and trusted family members. The password to get into the computer also needs to be safely stored with trusted people. The surviving person may be too distraught to remember anything pertaining to computer access, however.
• My spouse can log into my computer, can log into my account, and knows the password to that special file I have set up with all that important info. But I don't expect her to remember these steps, I see that she forgets simple things I have showed her in the past, so I have other "backup" approaches that will work even if she never touches my computer. When people get older, some become completely unable to use a computer. You don't appreciate this until you see it happen. So rather than focusing on organizing the information on a computer for your spouse, organize it for other capable family members who will step in and for the law firm that will be handling things.

The most post-mortem accessible, and readily available technology is a portable, plastic file organizer, fire-proof safe, or even a safe deposit box with current analog documents in it including a notarized and witnessed will, executor info, and other legal/estate/financial documentation to assist your wife. Digital and updated, printed analog copies while you are alive.

Ideally, it is beneficial to have an established attorney, accountant, and financial planner relationship (all trusted by you) to assist your wife when she needs help the most with legal, real estate, and financial matters.

Have you established an Apple Legacy Contact as your wife, so she can access your Mac and Apple accounts?

Your thoughts are great!

How capable is your wife with technology? My wife is not at the same level I am and I am trying to keep things as simple as possible by having most digital items in plain text format that can be opened by pretty much any software. I keep the files in an encrypted sparse bundle (a file which turns into a "drive" on a computer) which requires knowing one password to open. My sister knows the password but doesn't have the file. Right now the bundle file is on my computer but I plan on keeping it on a flash drive too so she doesn't have to learn how to use my computer.

Finally, nothing beats a printed copy in terms of simplicity.

I haven't checked recently but there used to be "deadman's switch" web sites which would automatically send an email if you didn't sign into the site in a given amount of time.

Chattanoogan's recommendation to store information in iCloud Drive is an excellent one. It obviates any concerns about accessing the iMac's contents.

Plenty of people experience difficulty logging into a Mac for a variety of reasons. Hardware failure for example can occur at any time, and sometimes that failure manifests in it rejecting completely legitimate login credentials that you are 100% are correct. That's challenging enough even for a Mac that you own and remains under your sole control. So, you're on the right track with paper copies in a fireproof safe, backed up with copies retained by an attorney or executor.

FWIW, there is no way I would store any financial/sensitive/personal information on a cloud storage system over which I have no control. Users have no physical or other control with respect to access, safety, security, location, backups, or sharing, of cloud storage, whether iCloud, OneDrive, GoogleDrive, or any other third-party off-site storage system.

I would opt for physical hard copy storage both onsite and in another physical secure safe location.

I would add one additional suggestion to the great ones already given.

If you don't already do this, sit down with your spouse once a month, once every couple of months, whatever seems reasonable and review the financial stuff, what the accounts are, what's in them, what your debts are, how to access them. Lots of couples divvy up responsibilities and finances often seems to get delegated to one person. But the other person should always have a basic idea of what's going on. Having to learn everything while in pain and under a great deal of stress won't be easy, even with written instructions. Also keep in mind that, should you became ill and incapacitated, they will need to deal with health insurance, long term care insurance and possibly Medicare even while you are still alive.

I've also reached the age where I'm starting to think very hard about this.

I’ve been thinking about the same sort of thing. My thoughts were it needs to be something that is shared. i.e. it is on both of your devices. Your spouse isn't going to remember where on your computer this when-I-die folder is. They are probably stressed immediately after the event and when they need the information most. My first thought was a shared locked Apple Notes Note but I'm not sure if you can share locked apple notes.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet but your post made me revisit what I need to do.

Hope this helps.

Paul