About
Retirement and end-of-life paperwork is overwhelming — not because it's hard, but because no one ever hands you a map. Retirement In Order is that map: calm, plain-English tools that turn "I should really get to that" into "it's done."
Why this exists
A parent's accounts no one can find, a binder that lived only in someone's head, a list of wishes that was never written down. It tends to happen at the worst possible moment, when thinking clearly is nearly impossible.
Retirement In Order started from one belief, and a clear, fill-in-the-blank way to act on it: here's what I have, here's who to call, here's what I want. Not a three-hundred-page legal tome — just everything in one place, before it's needed.
What we believe
The kindest thing you can do for the people you love is to put it all in one place — before they need it.
How we approach it
Written at a kitchen-table reading level. No jargon, no lectures — just clear next steps you can actually act on.
Organized around the handoff, not just a list of stuff. Everything cross-references so the person holding it knows what to do first.
Our planners record where things are and who to call — never passwords, PINs, or account numbers. Useful to your family, harmless if it's ever misplaced.
Drawn from official sources and written to teach the system, so they stay useful year after year — not just for this year's figures.
Who's behind it
Retirement In Order is made by a retired product leader with a background in healthcare and insurance — industries built on exactly the paperwork most families dread. The same eye for turning confusing systems into simple, do-able steps goes into every planner and every page.
Our books are published under the pen name M. E. Hart, which keeps the focus on the work and the family it's meant to help.
Our editorial standards
These topics touch your health, your money, and your family. We hold the content to a higher bar because of it.
Get in touch
Questions, a typo to flag, or a planner you wish existed? We'd love to hear from you.
Start here
A free set of quick-start checklists to take the overwhelm out of getting your next chapter in order.