Bookmark this page for quick reference
Most households have more online accounts than anyone has actually counted.
A single reference page that lists them – organized by category – takes the guesswork out of managing, locating, or handing off account access when it matters.
What This List Is For:
This list is a household reference record of the online accounts your home runs on. It is used for locating and identifying accounts.
📄 A formatted, print-ready version of this list is included in the Home Management Binder.
This sheet is often kept in the Home Admin Section of a home management binder, so important household information is easy to access.
What Is A Household Binder?
A household binder is a single reference point for the lists and information you use repeatedly to manage your home. For a full overview of how the system works, visit our household binder guide.
This post covers what categories of online accounts to include, what information to record for each, and a few practical notes on maintaining the list over time.
What to Record for Each Account
Before getting into categories, it helps to be consistent about what you capture for every entry.
The goal is basic reference information, enough to locate the account and know what it is, and not a full credentials record.
For each account, note:
- Account name or service provider
- Website URL
- Primary username or email address used to log in
- Account holder name (relevant when accounts are in one person’s name)
- A brief note on what the account is for, if it isn’t obvious
Passwords do not belong on this list.
Passwords change frequently, and a printed list is not a secure place to store them; a password manager handles that separately.
This list is for locating and identifying accounts, not accessing them directly.
Financial Accounts
Financial accounts are the most important category to have documented.
If someone else in the household needs to contact a bank, locate a policy number, or identify what accounts exist, this section gives them a starting point.
- Checking and savings accounts (bank name, account type)
- Credit cards (issuer and cardholder name)
- Investment and brokerage accounts
- Retirement accounts (401k, IRA)
- Mortgage or home equity loan servicer
- Auto loan servicer
- Student loan servicer
- HSA or FSA accounts
- Life insurance online portal
- Tax filing accounts (IRS online account, state tax portal, tax software login)
Utilities and Home Services
These are the accounts that keep the household running.
They tend to stay the same for years, but are easy to lose track of when a bill needs to be disputed, or a service needs to be transferred.
- Electric provider
- Gas provider
- Water and sewer (if billed through an online account)
- Internet service provider
- Cell phone carrier
- Home security monitoring service
- Trash and recycling service (if managed online)
- HOA online portal (if applicable)
You can find a separate checklist for your Utility Account Information List.
Insurance Accounts
Insurance accounts often go unused for long stretches, which makes them easy to forget.
Documenting them here means they’re findable when a claim needs to be filed or a policy reviewed.
- Homeowners or renters insurance
- Auto insurance
- Health insurance member portal
- Dental and vision insurance
- Life insurance (if separate from above)
- Pet insurance (if applicable)
Subscriptions and Streaming
A subscription category tends to grow quietly.
Listing it in the binder also makes it easier to review and cancel unused services during a periodic account audit.
- Streaming video (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, etc.)
- Streaming music
- News or magazine subscriptions
- Software subscriptions (cloud storage, antivirus, productivity tools)
- Membership accounts (warehouse clubs, loyalty programs with stored value)
Government and Benefits Accounts
These accounts are used infrequently, but are important to be able to locate.
- Social Security online account (ssa.gov)
- IRS online account (irs.gov)
- State benefits or unemployment portal
- Medicare or Medicaid portal (if applicable)
- Veterans Affairs portal (if applicable)
- Passport and travel document accounts (travel.state.gov, TSA PreCheck, Global Entry)
Household and Property Accounts
Accounts that relate to the physical management of the home sit here.
- Mortgage servicer portal (if not already listed under financial)
- Home warranty service portal
- Appliance registration accounts
- Contractor or service provider portals (if they have online account management)
- Smart home device accounts (thermostat, security cameras, doorbell)
Practical Notes
Who maintains this list: One person in the household should own this page and keep it current.
It doesn’t need to be the same person who manages the finances; it just needs to be someone who will notice when a new account is created or an old one closes.
How often to review it: Once or twice a year is sufficient for most households.
A good trigger is any time you cancel a subscription, open a new account, or change the email address associated with a major account.
Who should know where it is: Anyone in the household who might need emergency access to an account should know this list exists and where to find it in the binder.
If one person handles all household administration and becomes unavailable – whether due to travel, illness, or any other reason – the list gives another household member enough information to locate an account, call the right provider, or identify what services are active.
What this list is not: It is not a password record, as passwords belong in a dedicated password manager.
This list is for account identification and reference only.
Setup note: If you’re building this list from scratch, a useful starting point is your email inbox.
Search for terms like “welcome,” “your account,” “subscription,” and “statement” to surface accounts you may have forgotten.
Your credit card statements are another reliable source for active subscriptions.
Closing
A household online accounts list doesn’t need to be exhaustive on day one.
Start with the categories that matter the most: financial, utilities, and insurance, and add to it as you go.
Once it’s in the binder, it becomes one of the most-referenced pages you have.
If keeping all of your home admin records in one place sounds useful, the Home Management Binder gives you a complete printable system covering every area of home management.
