Survey of 500 Men and Women: Ranking of Things People Want Their Parents to Organize Before Death

AlbaLink Inc. (Headquarters: Koto-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kenji Kawata) conducted a survey of 500 men and women nationwide about "things they want their parents to organize before death" and compiled the data into a ranking. The details are published on "Akiya Kaitoritai." (https://akiya-kaitoritai.com/parents-pre-death-planning/) Pre-death planning, or "seizen seiri," is the process of organizing and consolidating information about one's belongings, assets, and contracts while still in good health. Organizing beforehand makes things easier for the children's generation during inheritance and has the added benefit of allowing the parents themselves to live a more uncluttered life. This time, Akiya Kaitoritai (https://akiya-kaitoritai.com/), operated by AlbaLink Inc. (https://albalink.co.jp/), conducted a survey of 500 men and women nationwide about "things they want their parents to organize before death." <> 1. Please clearly state "Akiya Kaitoritai is challenging high-value assessments for vacant houses nationwide [TSE Listed]" as the source of the information. 2. If used on a website, please include the following links as the source. URLs: https://akiya-kaitoritai.com/parents-pre-death-planning/ https://akiya-kaitoritai.com/vacant-house-for-sale/ https://akiya-kaitoritai.com/real-estate-purchasing-company-ranking/ 【Survey Overview】 Survey Target: Men and women nationwide Survey Date: April 2, 2026 Survey Organization: In-house research Survey Method: Voluntary responses via the internet Number of Valid Responses: 500 (369 women / 131 men) Age of Respondents: 20s 14.2% / 30s 35.2% / 40s 29.8% / 50s 16.2% / 60s and over 4.6% 94.0% of People Want Their Parents to Organize Before Death When 500 men and women nationwide were asked, "Do you want your parents to organize their affairs before death?" a combined 94.0% answered "Strongly agree" (53.8%) or "Somewhat agree" (40.2%). This shows that the necessity and importance of pre-death planning have permeated the children's generation. For them, it is no longer something special. Some respondents mentioned hearing about others who had faced difficulties. The background for this is likely the realistic problem of how to pass on possessions and information due to the aging population and digitalization. No. 1 Thing People Want Parents to Organize: "Bank Accounts" The top answer for "things people want their parents to organize before death" was "Bank accounts" (32.8%), gathering votes from over 30% of respondents. "Furniture" (26.6%) came in second, and "Real estate" (26.0%) in third, with each receiving over 20% of the responses. A variety of tangible and intangible items were mentioned. For intangible items, many cited things that are "time-consuming to handle procedures and confirmations for," while for tangible items, many mentioned things that are "time-consuming to dispose of due to large quantity or size." There were also voices saying that instead of actually disposing of everything beforehand, they would like their parents to "just compile the information" or "make it clear what they want to keep and what they want to dispose of." This reflects a desire for parents to show consideration for making things easier for the bereaved, to the extent that it is not an unreasonable burden. <1st Place: Bank Accounts> ・"For some bank accounts, procedures are difficult for anyone other than the account holder, and it's a hassle to gather all the documents for inheritance." (Female, 30s) ・"I want them to take care of documents related to bank account numbers. I've heard that after someone passes away, procedures can be very difficult if the PIN is unknown." (Female, 40s) ・"It's a pain to have to inquire about various securities, insurance policies, and bank accounts." (Male, 50s) Specifically, respondents mentioned wanting their parents to "compile a list of all bank account numbers and PINs" and "close any unused accounts." While account numbers can be confirmed with bank books, PINs are often known only by the account holder. Having many accounts requires procedures at each bank, which is a hassle. Furthermore, if the bereaved are unaware of an account's existence, it may be left unattended and eventually frozen. For these reasons, many people want bank accounts to be organized beforehand. As it is where precious assets like money are kept, it is one of the most important items for pre-death planning. <2nd Place: Furniture> ・"Large furniture like beds. No one will use them, so disposing of them is a problem." (Female, 30s) ・"It costs money to dispose of them, and the task of throwing out belongings takes time. I'd like them to start gradually with things they aren't using or are clearly unnecessary." (Male, 40s) ・"Large furniture and the like. Because it seems expensive to dispose of." (Female, 60s+) Furniture like dressers and beds are large, heavy, and tend to be costly and time-consuming to dispose of. If a lot of large furniture is left behind, it can delay the entire process of cleaning out the house, which in turn can affect its sale or handover. Therefore, many people want furniture to be disposed of early. Of course, since furniture is used until just before death, many people added the condition, "if there is unused furniture." Disposing of unnecessary furniture also reduces risks in the event of a disaster and has the merit of increasing living space and comfort. <3rd Place: Real Estate> ・"Even if they leave us land, we can't sell it, and managing it is a hassle." (Female, 20s) ・"It could become a source of arguments between siblings after death, and it's a lot of trouble." (Male, 30s) ・"The house is 45 years old and deteriorating. My elderly mother lives there alone, but considering the disposal after she passes away, it would be easier to sell it now and live with us, or buy a used apartment for her to move into." (Female, 50s) Reasons for wanting real estate to be organized beforehand included "inheritance procedures are troublesome," "it causes disputes," and "we can't manage it if it's left to us." Regarding land and houses, heirs often have differing opinions, which can lead to arguments over whether to sell or maintain the property. Also, since managing vacant houses and land requires both effort and money, many bereaved family members find it a burden. Therefore, it's clear that many in the younger generation want pre-death arrangements such as "selling the property and moving while still healthy," "clearing the land," or "settling ownership rights and deciding on the method of disposal after death." <4th Place: Clothing> ・"Unused accessories and clothes. It was a huge hassle with my grandmother's things because there was so much." (Female, 30s) ・"Unused clothing. Because it's painful to dispose of them." (Female, 40s) ・"Clothes they don't wear, like kimonos. I know for a fact they're not needed, so I'd like them to be disposed of now." (Male, 40s) Compared to furniture, clothing is smaller and lighter. However, the quantity can be large, and the burden of organizing it is greater than one might imagine. There is also the emotional burden on the children's generation of throwing away their parents' memorable clothes. Some people had experienced trouble disposing of clothing during the estate settlement of grandparents and felt that they wanted their own parents to organize their clothes beforehand. <5th Place: Subscription Services> ・"For subscriptions my parents personally signed up for and enjoy, I don't know the provider or the cost, so I want them to handle it themselves." (Female, 30s) ・"Subscriptions are a hassle because of the effort to find out about them and then to cancel them." (Male, 40s) ・"I don't want to get a large bill later for something that continues unused." (Male, 50s) Many people also want pre-death organization for subscriptions, such as recurring purchases and monthly services. Reasons include "they are often registered online, making them hard to track" and "cancellation procedures are a hassle." Furthermore, for subscriptions where no product is delivered and only the subscriber knows the usage status, there is a risk that the family will not notice the contract after death, and charges will continue to accrue. Creating a list of active services with IDs and passwords, and canceling unused ones, can provide peace of mind for the children's generation. <6th Place: All Unused Items> ・"Everything they don't need. Because I don't know their value." (Female, 30s) ・"I want them to throw away all the unnecessary things in the house, even if it's little by little. There are just so many things, yet my parents keep buying small necessary items, so the house is overflowing. I'm scared of disasters, and when they pass away, the family will be the ones to clean up." (Female, 40s) ・"I'd like them to organize unnecessary items as much as possible before they pass. Because it takes time and money to dispose of them." (Female, 60s+) In these cases, the sheer volume of items in the house is the burden, rather than specific items like clothes or dishes. A house with many unnecessary items takes a long time to clean up, and the mental burden of deciding for each item "should I keep this or throw it away?" is significant. It's clear that many in the younger generation hope their parents will gradually dispose of things based on the criteria of "what they are not using now" and "what they are unlikely to use in the future." <7th Place: Photographs> ・"It's hard to throw away my parents' photos, and keeping them takes up space." (Female, 30s) ・"It's heartbreaking to throw away sentimental items, so I'd like them to organize them themselves." (Female, 40s) ・"I think these are items whose value is only known to the person themselves, so it would be helpful if they could just organize the important ones." (Male, 50s) Sentimental items, represented by photographs, are difficult to dispose of even if they are not used or looked at frequently. However, if there is a large quantity, storage becomes a problem, and it is difficult to keep everything. For this reason, many voices said, "It's hard to dispose of them, so I want them to organize them themselves." Methods for pre-death organization include "selecting only the truly important photos and re-compiling them into an album or digitizing them." <8th Place: Tableware> ・"Because it's a hassle to dispose of." (Female, 30s) ・"There's a large quantity, and it costs money to dispose of it." (Female, 40s) ・"For my parents, they have an attachment to them, and they are items that are emotionally difficult to dispose of, so I think they have sentimental value. However, their commercial value is not high." (Male, 50s) Tableware is a daily necessity, and the number tends to increase over the years with sets for "everyday use" and "for guests." Being made of ceramic or glass, they are heavy and require careful handling as they can be dangerous if broken. Moreover, for the bereaved, disposing of tableware that has been used for a long time or was a favorite of the parents can be a painful process. That's why many people want them to be organized beforehand. ・"It seems like it would take an enormous amount of time just to sort them." (Female, 30s) ・"Work-related documents. They are a hassle to dispose of." (Female, 40s) ・"There are many things where only the person themselves knows what is important and what is not. If you try to organize everything later, it takes a lot of time and effort, and there's the anxiety of accidentally throwing away something necessary, so I'd like them to get it in order while they are still healthy." (Female, 50s) Documents are one of the most difficult inherited items to judge in terms of importance. With the fear of "what if I throw away necessary documents?" one can end up with a large number of documents left untouched. There is also the possibility that truly important documents get buried and are never found. If necessary or important documents are neglected, required procedures can be delayed. It is crucial to separate "documents the bereaved will need for inheritance and other procedures" from "unnecessary documents" and make them easy to understand. <10th Place: Miscellaneous Goods> ・"I don't know their value, and it feels like a waste to throw them away. Even trying to sell them is a hassle because they are small and of many different kinds, so just sorting them is a pain." (Female, 20s) ・"I don't know their value, there's a large quantity, and I don't know where to start." (Female, 30s) ・"There are many of them, and it's difficult for a third party to judge what's necessary and what's not, so I'd like them to be disposed of early." (Male, 40s) Even if each item is small, disposal becomes a major task when there are many types and a large quantity. Furthermore, for accessories and hobby collections, it's impossible to judge their value without knowing the material, rarity, and so on. When organizing, it is recommended to clearly indicate things like "items you have an emotional attachment to and want to be kept" and "items that are valuable and should be kept." What People Find Troublesome if Parents Don't Organize: "It Takes Time" The overwhelming top answer for "what would be troublesome if parents don't organize before death" was "It takes time" (56.8%). This was followed by "It's a hassle" (25.8%), "It costs money" (15.8%), "Don't know how to handle it" (6.4%), and "Causes disputes among relatives" (4.2%). The top responses reflect the realistic burdens placed on the remaining family, such as time, effort, and cost. Some respondents also said, "What the person could have easily handled becomes a much more tedious task for anyone else." There is a fear that the lack of pre-death planning will increase the burden. <1st Place: It takes time> ・"Organizing belongings takes time, and various procedures take time." (Female, 20s) ・"It takes time to sell the family home." (Female, 30s) ・"When the remaining family has to do it, it takes an incredible amount of time to research everything." (Male, 50s) If pre-death organization is not done, the time the remaining family spends on "cleaning up" and "procedures" tends to be longer compared to when it is done. For example, if belongings are not organized, there are more items to sort, and cleaning up takes time. If information about bank accounts and subscriptions is not compiled, it takes time to investigate the accounts and contract status. As a result, this leads to a situation where "it takes time to sell the family home" and "the entire post-death process takes time." <2nd Place: It's a hassle> ・"Not knowing what contracts exist where, and the incredible hassle of canceling them." (Male, 30s) ・"Since I live far away, I have to make many trips to my parents' house to organize their belongings." (Female, 40s) ・"It's really the organization of the belongings. I think it's a very difficult task to check everything one by one, taking a lot of time." (Male, 60s+) The more belongings are left behind, the more hassle it is to organize them. The task of checking the contents of each item, sorting out what is necessary, and deciding how to dispose of it is a considerable burden. For those living far away, the travel to their parents' house is also a burden, which can be exhausting both mentally and physically. Regarding procedures for "subscriptions," "insurance," and "bank accounts," if information is not compiled through pre-death planning, the effort to find that information creates a greater burden, and the sheer number of procedures is also a challenge. <3rd Place: It costs money> ・"Management costs will be incurred." (Male, 20s) ・"Organizing belongings is very expensive." (Female, 40s) ・"There's simply no money. There will be costs for property registration that my parents didn't do, and since they've added extensions to the house here and there, maintenance costs will also be high." (Female, 50s) Specific costs mentioned include "costs for disposing of belongings" and "management costs for the remaining real estate." For example, if many large pieces of furniture are left, it may be difficult for the family to dispose of them alone, incurring costs to hire a professional service. Also, inheriting real estate comes with property taxes, repair costs, and demolition costs. To keep costs down, it is important to gradually reduce unnecessary items and for the family to share a policy on major assets and housing early on. <4th Place: Don't know how to handle it> ・"When it comes down to it, I think it would be hard to bring myself to throw away their belongings, which would be a problem." (Male, 30s) ・"There are things whose value I don't know, and I worry, 'what if I need this later?', so I don't know if it's okay to dispose of them. I can't make a decision and the organizing stalls." (Female, 30s) ・"It's difficult to sort out what to keep." (Female, 40s) It was found that the lack of pre-death planning also causes the bereaved the problem of "not knowing how to handle things." This is because there are many inherited items whose value or necessity the bereaved cannot judge, and they become anxious, wondering "will I regret throwing this away?" or "will I need this later?", which brings the organization process to a halt. During a time when they have not yet come to terms with their parent's death, the act of making such judgments can be a very painful task. To reduce the emotional burden on the bereaved, it is necessary for the person to organize what is "important and should be kept" and what "should be disposed of" while they are still alive. <5th Place: Causes disputes among relatives> ・"If my parents don't do it, my siblings and I will get into trouble over 'who will do it,' our relationship will sour, and it will drag on, so I want them to do pre-death planning." (Female, 30s) ・"There's a possibility of disputes among siblings over the rights to the family home." (Male, 40s) ・"Trouble will arise between siblings. In some cases, inheritance issues after the parents' passing can drag on for a long time, potentially destroying family bonds." (Male, 50s) If pre-death organization is not done, discussions will arise about "who will take on the task of cleaning up the family home" and "how the costs of cleaning up will be divided among the bereaved." Another point of discussion is "how to handle real estate and valuables that are difficult to simply divide." And depending on the "economic and living situations" and "differences in thinking" among siblings, the organization of belongings and inheritance can lead to emotional conflicts. What parents can do is "reduce the practical burden on their children" and "communicate their wishes so that the children are not at a loss when making decisions." Summary Pre-death planning for parents is an important preparation to avoid leaving a burden on the family, as well as a preparation for the parents themselves to live the rest of their lives comfortably. For this reason, many in the younger generation wished their parents would do it. As for the content of the pre-death planning they want done, many mentioned "things where procedures are complicated for the bereaved, such as financial matters" and "things that take a lot of time and money to organize due to their large quantity." This reflects a desire to reduce confusion and hassle as much as possible. There were also voices saying, "Even if they don't reduce their belongings while they are alive, it would be fine if they just compiled their wishes and information." The ideal and required pre-death planning differs for each family. It is recommended to proceed gradually within a reasonable range, while parents and children discuss "what each other wants" and "what can be done." *All aggregate data can be viewed from the URL below. URL: https://akiya-kaitoritai.com/parents-pre-death-planning/ Akiya Kaitoritai A media outlet for distressed real estate operated by AlbaLink Inc. It provides information on problem-solving methods and management strategies for real estate that cannot be sold due to some "reason." Articles are written by experts with the concept of delivering highly reliable information in an easy-to-understand manner. In addition to free consultations, they also support direct purchases through the site. https://akiya-kaitoritai.com/ About AlbaLink Inc. AlbaLink is a real estate company that buys and resells distressed properties under the concept of "connecting the future through business." They mainly handle properties with complex rights issues such as stigmatized properties, shared ownership, vacant houses, and leased land, extending a helping hand to all those struggling with real estate problems. 【Company Profile】 Company Name: AlbaLink Inc. Representative: CEO Kenji Kawata Location: 3F BESIDE KIBA, 2-17-16 Kiba, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0042 Established: January 2011 Capital: 48,490,000 yen URL: https://albalink.co.jp/company/