What you can expect from this article

There are many things in life that make you think: „I definitely need more of that.“ Holidays, for example. Or coffee. Perhaps Wi-Fi on the train, too. And then there are things that instantly make you think the opposite. Right at the top of this list: files. And, as we all know, Germany has a special relationship with files. There are personnel files, tax files, medical records, building plans, The X-Files and probably, somewhere, a file about your files.

So what now? Now there’s yet another file to add to the pile: the end-of-life planning file. What’s that all about? Don’t we have enough files already? Yet another one? I completely understand how you feel. But before you’ve already ordered your next Leitz ring binder in your mind or start frantically stuffing all your documents into a drawer, let me put your mind at rest. Because the contingency file belongs to that rare category of things that seem bureaucratic and dry at first glance, but on closer inspection are absolutely brilliant. Why? Because this file has the potential to make all the other files a thing of the past.

We’ve got enough chaos as it is

If we’re honest, we’ve all got that one place somewhere. You know the sort: the drawer, the shelf in the cellar, the old trunk or the legendary „Important Documents“ folder, where it feels as though everything is kept, but nothing can ever be found. That’s where insurance documents lie alongside old tenancy agreements, bank statements from a time when we still thought fax machines were the future, and somewhere in between, perhaps even a will – or at least something we once thought was one. There’s a simple system behind it all: we delude ourselves into thinking we’ve taken care of things. Because then we don’t have to worry about it, do we? After all, we can always have a look when something happens. Why rack our brains about it beforehand?

Suppression works a treat. And the system could well serve as a stopgap solution, were it not for one tiny snag: as long as you’re searching for things yourself, there’s still hope. However, even in a genuine emergency, you’re unlikely to be in a position to calmly search through a crammed folder for data and documents. Let alone hand these documents over to the right people afterwards. How many people know where they’ve hidden their chaotic archive? Who knows exactly which documents are intended for whom? And who controls access to them? And anyway: have you written down and filed away access details such as PINs and passwords? On the one hand, that would be necessary; on the other, it would be incredibly reckless. Surely there must be a digital solution with strong encryption and controlled access, mustn’t there? You see, that’s how quickly we end up talking about the contingency file.

The end-of-life planning file vs. „I know where everything is“

The main problem with the ‘bunch-it-all-together’ approach to planning for the future is that you think you’ve got everything important sorted, only to start rummaging about when an emergency arises. When you’re honest with yourself, you realise: I haven’t the faintest idea what exactly I’ve got – or where it is. Or whether it’s all up to date. And anyone who convinces themselves they’ve got everything keeps putting off sorting out their arrangements, despite knowing better (deep down). It’s like ignoring a smoke alarm that’s beeping constantly for years. You need to sort it out; otherwise, neither the nagging feeling nor the annoying beeping will go away.

The estate planning file forces you to get organised. And not just the sort of organisation where you simply sort things into new piles. But genuine, logical, structured organisation. With categories. And a clear overview. And that moment of realisation when you realise just how many things you no longer actually understand. Suddenly, questions crop up such as:

• Why do I have this insurance?
• What exactly does this contract actually say?
• And since when have I had three different folders labelled „Important“?

The pension file is therefore more of a mirror than a file. And as with all mirrors, the first encounter is rarely a pleasant one.

The moment when, all of a sudden, everything becomes important

Most of us are familiar with this interesting phenomenon: things that were unimportant for years suddenly become very important – and this happens precisely when you can’t find them straight away. Like the username and password you didn’t write down anywhere. Or that one contract you really should have filed away properly. Or that one piece of important information in an email from 2017 that you meant to copy out and file away. Without a personal records folder, every one of these moments turns into an exciting treasure hunt. But with a personal records folder, something unexpected happens: Not only are all the important things easy to find, but they also find their way to the right people all by themselves. Because everything is neatly filed and sorted, searchable and digital. So easy to understand. So logically organised. It’s almost a bit disappointing just how unspectacular it is.

If it’s all so great, why doesn’t everyone have a pension plan? Because keeping things in order for the future means work in the present. Chaos, on the other hand, arises all by itself. And doing nothing is so convenient, whilst the consequences lie far off in the distant future. The problem is: „sometime“ has no specific date. It could be in 30 years„ time, or it could be tomorrow. Or even on your way home, when an overtired van driver cuts you off. In a millisecond, “sometime’ becomes ‘now’. Things like this happen, and even the best contingency plan can’t make them disappear. But they do prevent an already difficult situation from becoming even more difficult. And they do this simply by letting cloud-based software guide you comfortably through your own life planning.

Being organised protects the people who matter most in your life

One point that is often underestimated is that keeping things organised isn’t just for your own sake. Above all, it protects the people who matter most to you and your immediate circle. This includes your family, particularly if you are a father or mother. It also includes your staff, colleagues, line managers and business partners. All these people would be completely at a loss if faced with a crammed-full drawer or a box in some basement. And you certainly don’t want your work colleagues to be able to access your private data and documents. Nor do you want your family to be burdened with responsibilities and matters relating to your company or employer.

The end-of-life planning file gives you full control over what information is shared with whom and when. Because it is digital and cloud-based, it transforms any chaos surrounding data and documents into a language that is clear to everyone involved. Everyone understands the information made available to them and can act on it. Whilst this may sound unspectacular, in reality it is invaluable. This is because it prevents chaos, mistakes, misunderstandings and disputes in stressful and exceptional situations.