End-of-Life Planning Checklist

1. Essential Legal Documents

These documents protect your wishes and make things much easier for the people you leave behind.

• Last Will & Testament A legal document that says who inherits your property and assets. Without one, the state decides — which may not match what you wanted.
• Durable Power of Attorney Designates someone to handle your finances and legal matters if you become unable to do so yourself.
• Healthcare Power of Attorney / Healthcare Proxy Names the person who can make medical decisions on your behalf if you can't speak for yourself.
• Living Will / Advance Directive Documents your wishes for end-of-life medical care — resuscitation, ventilators, feeding tubes, hospice, etc.
• POLST / MOLST Form (if applicable) A physician-signed document for people with serious illness. More specific than an advance directive. Ask your doctor if this applies to you.
• Trust documents (if applicable) Living trusts, special needs trusts, or other trust arrangements.

2. Financial & Account Information

Your family should be able to locate and access what they need without a treasure hunt.

• List of bank accounts Bank name, account type, approximate balance, account numbers (or location of statements).
• Investment and retirement accounts 401(k), IRA, brokerage accounts — including the account provider and beneficiary designations.
• Life insurance policies Policy number, insurance company, beneficiary, and how to file a claim.
• Real estate deeds and vehicle titles Where are the physical documents?
• Outstanding debts and loans Mortgage, car loan, credit cards, student loans — so your estate can settle them.
• Digital assets Online accounts, cryptocurrency, social media, email — including login information or instructions for a trusted person to access them.
• Safe deposit box or home safe Location, combination or key, and what's inside.

3. Personal & Medical Information

• Medical history summary Current diagnoses, medications (names and doses), allergies, and treating physicians.
• Medicare / Medicaid / Insurance cards and ID numbers
• Social Security card and number
• Birth certificate and passport
• Military discharge papers (DD-214) If applicable — needed for veteran burial benefits.
• Marriage / divorce certificates

4. Final Wishes & Memorial Planning

Write these down somewhere people can find. It relieves your family of the burden of guessing.

• Burial or cremation preference And any pre-purchased arrangements, if applicable.
• Memorial service wishes Where, what kind of service, what music, who to involve, any specific requests.
• Obituary notes Key life events, accomplishments, survivors you want mentioned.
• Organ and tissue donation preferences Noted on your driver's license or in your advance directive.
• Special items and who should receive them Sentimental objects, jewelry, collections — anything meaningful that may not be covered in the will.
• A personal letter or message Optional, but deeply meaningful. What do you want your loved ones to know?

5. Key Conversations to Have

Documents matter, but conversations matter more. Make sure the people who need to know, know.

• Tell your healthcare proxy what you want Don't just name them — tell them exactly what kind of care you do and don't want, and why.
• Tell your executor where the will is And what it says, at a high level. No one should be surprised.
• Talk to your family about your wishes Not just your immediate family — siblings, adult children, close friends who might be involved in decisions.
• Review beneficiary designations regularly Life insurance, retirement accounts, and bank accounts pass to beneficiaries outside of a will — make sure yours are current.