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Who Sees What? An Access Map for Now vs. Later
Who Sees What? An Access Map for Now vs. Later

Who Sees What? An Access Map for Now vs. Later

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A simple framework for who needs access now, later, or never—protect privacy today while making emergencies easier tomorrow.
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Who Sees What? Access Map for Now vs. Later
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A simple framework for who needs access today vs. after incapacity or death.
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Sep 11, 2025 03:33 AM

Who Sees What? An Access Map for Now vs. Later

Why this matters
A clear “access map” prevents two common problems: oversharing today and chaos later. It lists who can view which folders/documents now, who should gain access if you’re incapacitated, and who takes over after death—with the right role (Viewer/Commenter/Editor). You keep everything in your own Google Drive; this guide helps you plan permissions, not give legal authority.

What is an access map?

A one-page policy (plus a simple sharing setup) that answers:
  • Who needs access (family, executor/trusted contact, advisors).
  • *To what (specific folders or files).
  • When they should see it (now / if incapacitated / after death).
  • At what level (Viewer, Commenter, Editor).
  • Who flips access when circumstances change (you, your agent under POA, or your executor/trustee).
Note: This is educational, not legal advice. Your state law and your estate docs control who is authorized to act.

Roles to consider (plain English)

  • You (Owner): controls sharing now.
  • Spouse/Partner or Co-Organizer: helps upload/organize (often Editor on the master folder).
  • Executor / Successor Trustee (after death): gets broader access only after death.
  • Agent under POA (if incapacitated): access grows only during incapacity.
  • Adult Child / Trusted Contact: Viewer to key docs now (optional), more later.
  • Professionals (attorney/CFP/CPA/insurance): usually Viewer; Editor only if they must upload.
  • Emergency Contact: limited “Where to find things” doc; no financial data.

The “Now vs. Later” map (use this pattern)

Create three short lists. Keep it simple and specific.
Now (everyday access)
  • Co-Organizer: Editor on Master Folder.
  • Spouse/Partner: Viewer (or Editor if co-organizing).
  • Attorney/CFP/CPA: Viewer on Legal or Financial subfolders only (not the whole vault).
  • Emergency Contact: Viewer on Read-Me First (no sensitive details).
If Incapacitated (triggered by your POA documents)
  • Agent under POA: upgrade to Editor on Financial, Insurance, Bills & Accounts.
  • Attorney/CFP/CPA: keep Viewer; add Commenter if collaboration needed.
  • Remove anyone who doesn’t need expanded access.
After Death (probate/trust administration)
  • Executor/Successor Trustee: Editor on everything needed to administer (not private journals/irrelevant folders).
  • Heirs: Viewer on What Loved Ones Need First and relevant summaries; avoid raw account numbers.
Keep a one-line note on who makes the change (you now; your agent/executor later). Put that note at the top of your Access Map doc.

Create your access map in 10 minutes

  1. List people by role. Owner, Co-Organizer, Agent (POA), Executor/Trustee, Trusted Contact, Pros.
  1. Group your Drive by category (examples below) so sharing is easy.
  1. Decide the minimum role each person needs for now / incapacitated / after death.
  1. Write a one-page “Access Map” doc at the top of your Master Folder: who sees what, when, and who flips access.
  1. Share safely: set your Master Folder to Restricted, add people by email with Viewer/Commenter/Editor as needed. (See: Sharing Safely in Google Drive: A 5-Minute Setup.)
  1. Review after life events like marriage, divorce, new child, new advisor, account changes.

Recommended folder categories (keeps mapping clean)

  • 00 Read-Me First (contacts, “where things are,” high-level index)
  • IDs & Vital Records (IDs, SSN card, birth/marriage certificates)
  • Legal (will/trust, POA, advance directive, attorney contact)
  • Financial (banks, brokerage, retirement, beneficiary PDFs—redacted)
  • Insurance (life, health, home/auto; declarations only)
  • Property & Titles (home, vehicles)
  • Bills & Subscriptions (utilities, phone, internet—no passwords)
  • Health (advance directive copy, providers)
  • Digital Accounts (account list only; store passwords in a password manager with emergency access—not in Drive)
Don’t upload live passwords. Use a password manager with an Emergency Access feature for your executor/agent.

Drive sharing tips that match the map

  • Least privilege by default: start with Viewer; grant Editor only to a co-organizer or when someone must upload.
  • Share subfolders, not the whole vault: let an attorney view Legal without seeing Health.
  • Use shortcuts if one file belongs in two places (e.g., a trust summary in both Legal and Financial).
  • Disable “Editors can share” on sensitive folders to prevent permission creep.
  • Avoid “Anyone with the link.” Keep General access = Restricted.

Triggers and who flips access

  • Now → Incapacitated: Your Agent under POA should be allowed to request upgrades (Viewer→Editor) to the categories they must manage. Document this in your Access Map and in your POA.
  • Incapacitated/Death → Back to normal: When the event ends (recovery) or administration winds down, downgrade or remove temporary access.
  • After Death: Your Executor/Trustee (and attorney) need Editor/Viewer roles to administer. Capture this in your will/trust instructions and your Access Map.
Coordinate with your attorney so your Access Map reflects your estate documents. The legal authority comes from those documents, not Drive settings.

Template you can copy (paste into a doc at the top of your vault)

Title: Access Map — [Your Name], updated [YYYY-MM-DD]
Owner: [Your Name]
Co-Organizer (if any): [Name, email]
Agent under POA (incapacity): [Name, email]
Executor/Successor Trustee (after death): [Name, email]
Trusted Contact: [Name, email]
Advisors: Attorney [name/email], CFP [name/email], CPA [name/email], Insurance [name/email]
Now
  • Co-Organizer — Editor on: Master, Legal, Financial, Insurance, Bills.
  • Spouse/Partner — Viewer on: Master, Legal (summaries), Insurance.
  • Attorney — Viewer on: Legal (not Health).
  • CFP/CPA — Viewer on: Financial (statements redacted), Insurance.
  • Trusted Contact — Viewer on: Read-Me First.
If Incapacitated (POA in effect)
  • Agent under POA — Editor on: Financial, Insurance, Bills; Viewer on: Legal.
  • Attorney/CFP/CPA — Commenter on their folders if collaboration needed.
After Death
  • Executor/Trustee — Editor on: Master, Legal, Financial, Insurance, Property.
  • Heirs — Viewer on: Read-Me First + relevant summaries.
Who changes access:
  • While I have capacity: I do.
  • If incapacitated: Agent under POA may request/adjust access consistent with this map.
  • After death: Executor/Trustee adjusts access for administration only.
Notes:
  • No passwords in Drive. Emergency access to password manager: [how/where].
  • Redact full account numbers in shared statements.
  • Review this map after major life events.

Quick FAQs

  • Can I just share everything now? You can, but you shouldn’t. Use least-privilege to protect privacy and reduce mistakes.
  • Do advisors need Editor? Usually no. Start Viewer; upgrade temporarily if they must upload.
  • What if someone forwards a link? With Restricted access, forwarded links won’t open unless the person is explicitly added.
  • What if I don’t have an executor/agent yet? Leave placeholders and fill them in after you finalize documents.

How Family Harbor fits

  • We organize your Drive with the categories above and give you a live checklist to finish setup.
  • We provide safe-sharing defaults and a ready-to-edit Access Map doc like the template above.
  • You keep everything in your own cloud and can change access at any time.