The Problem AfterNotes Solves

After a death, families are often suddenly responsible for decisions they didn’t expect to make and information they didn’t realize they’d need. Even one missing detail can lead to hours of searching, calls, and disagreement when emotions are high.

Big questions start piling up:

• What would they have wanted if they were here?
• Where did they keep that important information?
• Who do we need to tell?

When conversations are postponed and details are scattered, families are left trying to piece together intent during a moment that already carries enough weight. That uncertainty can lead to delays, confusion, and tension between people who are all trying to do the right thing.

AfterNotes exists to reduce that uncertainty before it starts.

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What AfterNotes Is

AfterNotes is a guided tool for documenting the personal information and preferences your loved ones will need if something happens to you. It focuses on accessibility and ease, capturing the details families often scramble to find during a loss.

AfterNotes helps document:

• Who to contact and where to start, including insurance, mortgage, and financial accounts
• What ongoing bills, subscriptions, and accounts need attention
• Your wishes for burial or cremation and how you want your life honored
• How important digital accounts should be handled, including email and social media

It captures intent, preferences, and context. These are the things families reach for first, and the things they most often don't have.

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What AfterNotes Isn't

AfterNotes is not a will, trust, or legal document, and it doesn't replace an attorney or financial advisor. Those tools determine ownership, legality, and execution.

AfterNotes works alongside them. It fills in the human details legal documents don't capture, so your family isn't left piecing together what you would have wanted or where to begin.

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How It Works

1) Start with Yes or No Questions

AfterNotes doesn’t drop you into a blank document and wish you luck. Instead, it guides you through a series of easy-to-understand yes or no questions, grouped into bite-sized sections. Simply working through these questions helps lay a strong foundation for your AfterNotes plan and ensures all key topics are covered.

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2) Add additional context

When you answer yes, you are then able to type out helpful context using guided prompts. When you answer no, that answer still matters. It signals that nothing needs to be handled or searched for later. Either way, each response removes a question mark and saves time so your family can focus on what really matters.

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3) Complete It at Your Own Pace

You don't have to finish AfterNotes in one sitting. You can start when it feels right, pause when needed, and come back anytime. Your progress is saved automatically, and the questions are broken into small sections so the process stays manageable and doesn't feel overwhelming.

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4) Share It with the People Who Need It

Documenting your wishes is an important part of the equation, but it’s only part of it. The real value comes from making sure the right people can find them when it matters.

AfterNotes gives you a few simple ways to do that:

• Share your notes with family or trusted friends by email
• Export a document to keep with other important records
• Invite family members to create their own AfterNotes at no extra cost

That last part matters. AfterNotes isn't just for you. It helps start a conversation so the people you love can complete theirs too, giving everyone peace of mind.

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AfterNotes Outcomes

The outcomes below summarize the impact AfterNotes is meant to have on you, as the user, and on your family as well. These outcomes are supported by feedback from beta users who recently used the tool and shared their experience.

For You

• You stop putting this off because you don't know where to start
• You're guided through what’s important instead of starting from scratch
• You think through details you wouldn't have realized matter later
• You have peace of mind knowing nothing important will fall through the cracks
• You make it easier to start conversations with family about their own planning
• You know your family is prepared, and once shared and completed by others, you are too

Beta user feedback:

• "It was very easy to understand and move through."
• "It made me think about things I would never have thought to explain to my family."
• "It helped me articulate things I've struggled to explain."

For Your Family

• They know what you wanted without having to piece it together
• They know where to look instead of searching through drawers and emails
• They avoid debates about what you would have chosen
• They spend less time on logistics and more time honoring your memory
• They avoid the financial and emotional cost of delays caused by missing information
• They feel confident they're carrying out your actual wishes
• They can focus on grieving instead of managing chaos

Beta user feedback:

• "This would have saved my family so much confusion."
• "I love the idea of having everything written down in one place instead of hoping people can figure it out."
• "I really appreciate how this focuses on clarity for the people you leave behind."

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is AfterNotes available to?

AfterNotes is available to all employees through employer subscriptions to Bereave. By giving people a guided way to document and share important information, employers reduce avoidable stress that can surface during a loss and spill into the workplace. It's a proactive benefit that supports employees as whole people, not just when something goes wrong.

What happens if I leave a job that provides Bereave?

You won't lose access to your AfterNotes. We recommend adding a personal backup email so you can continue to log in if your work email is no longer active. This keeps your information accessible to you and ensures anything you've documented remains available to the people you've chosen to share it with.

Is AfterNotes a will or legal document?

No. AfterNotes is not a legal document and doesn't replace a will, trust, or attorney. It's a way to document your wishes, preferences, and important information so your family has clarity when they need it most. Think of it as the human context that legal documents don't capture.

Who can I share my AfterNotes with?

Anyone you choose. You can share your notes with family members, friends, or anyone else via email. You decide who sees what and when.

Can I invite family members to create their own?

Yes, and it's free for them. You can invite anyone to create their own AfterNotes at no additional cost. Many people find this is a natural way to start conversations about planning that might otherwise feel awkward.

How long does it take to complete?

That's entirely up to you. Some people finish in an afternoon, others take months. Because AfterNotes uses simple yes/no questions and saves your progress automatically, you can work through it at whatever pace feels comfortable.

What if I change my mind about something?

You can update your AfterNotes anytime. Life changes, preferences change, and your notes can change with them. There's no limit to how often you can edit.

Is my information secure?

Bereave takes security seriously and works with trusted vendors to protect your data. Behind the scenes, all your data is encrypted in transit and at rest according to industry best practices. That said, we don't require or recommend including highly sensitive information like full account numbers or Social Security numbers. AfterNotes is designed to capture wishes and context, not to serve as a secure vault.

Will Bereave sell my data?

No. Bereave will never sell your personal information.

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