The FIRM Guide

The Tax Planning and Documentation Module

Where tax records live, how to access them, who prepares them, and how long each document type should be retained — orientation and access, not the records themselves.

Download template Nothing is entered on this page — you fill the template in privately.

Text file — the flexible one. Use it as-is, open it in any editor, or paste it into an AI tool to reshape the blank form to fit your family: rename a field, add a row, drop one you don't need.

Print / PDF — the ready-to-use one. Print it and fill it in by hand, or choose Save as PDF and complete it in your own offline PDF app. Either way it stays with you — the finished Secure Guide template goes inside your Vault.

One rule: only ever give an AI tool the blank template. Never paste your real information — passwords, account numbers, anything you'd keep secret — into an AI tool, an online service, or anywhere outside your own Vault. Customizing an empty form is fine; filling it in happens privately, offline. That's the same rule this site follows: nothing sensitive ever leaves your hands.

Secure Guide Starter Template

This template belongs in The Secure Guide, stored within The Vault. It documents where tax records live, how to access them, and who to contact — not the records themselves.

Physical / Digital / Hybrid.
Filing cabinet, drawer, shelf — room and location.
Yes / No.
By reference (password manager entry). The key itself is high-friction.
Folder path or cloud location.
Yes / No.
By reference (password manager entry).
Earliest year through current.
Anything a future maintainer should know.
The professional's name.
CPA / Tax Preparer / Enrolled Agent.
The firm they work for.
Direct phone number.
Email address.
By reference (password manager entry).
Anything a future maintainer should know.
Tax-Related Account Logins (record login locations by reference, e.g., a password manager entry — never the password itself)
AccountPlatformLogin Location
Document Retention Reference — general references; consult your CPA for guidance specific to your situation
Document TypeRecommended Retention

Family Guide Starter Template

This template belongs in The Family Guide. It provides orientation — where records are and who to call — without containing the records themselves.

Our tax records are organized and stored as described below. Do not attempt to access or manage tax matters without first contacting our CPA.

See The Secure Guide for access details.
Earliest year through current.
The preparer's name.
Direct phone number.
Email address.

If you need to act on tax matters: (1) Locate The Secure Guide for archive access details and account passwords. (2) Contact our CPA before filing, responding to any IRS or state notice, or making any changes to tax-related accounts. (3) For estate-related tax questions, refer to the Estate Plan Module and contact our estate attorney.