“End-of-life planning” sounds heavy, but at its core it’s an act of consideration: making sure the people you trust can find what they need and know what you would want. Broken into pieces, it’s a series of small, manageable tasks — most of which take under an hour.
Use this checklist however suits you: work top to bottom, or start with whichever section feels easiest. Progress in any section is progress.
1. Personal and family information
- Record full legal name, date and place of birth, and citizenship details
- Note locations of birth certificate, passport, and other identity documents
- List immediate family members and next of kin with contact details
2. Key contacts
- Write down the people who should be contacted first
- Include doctors, employer, and any professionals you work with
- Note who holds spare keys or has access to your home
3. Medical information
- List current medications, allergies, and conditions
- Record your health insurance details and card location
- If you have healthcare directives, note where they’re stored
- Record organ donor preferences
4. Documents and household
- Gather important documents into one secure place (see our document guide)
- List property, mortgage or rental details, and vehicle information
- Note regular payments and subscriptions that would need attention
5. Financial and insurance information
- List where accounts are held (institutions — not passwords)
- Record life insurance and other policies, and where documents are kept
- Note retirement accounts and any investments
6. Digital accounts
- Inventory email, banking, social media, photo storage, and subscriptions
- Set up legacy-contact features where platforms offer them
- Consider a password manager with emergency access — details in our digital legacy guide
7. Dependents and pets
- Document care arrangements and routines for children
- Record pet care details, vet contacts, and preferences
8. Final wishes
- Note preferences for funeral or memorial arrangements
- Record wishes for significant possessions
- Consider writing letters or messages to loved ones
Not sure where to begin with these conversations? Questions to Discuss With Loved Ones About Final Wishes offers gentle starting points.
9. Legal documents — with professionals
A will, trust, or power of attorney should be prepared with a qualified attorney; requirements vary by state. Planning tools and workbooks organize information — they don’t replace legal documents or professional advice. If you already have estate documents, note where they’re stored and which professional prepared them.
10. Store it and share it
- Keep everything in one secure location — a locked drawer, safe, or fireproof box
- Tell one or two trusted people where it is
- Set an annual reminder to review and update
One place for all of it: a guided workbook such as I’m Dead, Now What? walks through each of these areas with structured pages — personal details, contacts, documents, finances, digital accounts, pets, wishes, and letters — so the checklist above becomes fill-in-the-blank rather than blank-page.
Take it one section at a time
Nobody completes this in a sitting, and nobody needs to. Pick one section this week. The relief most people describe isn’t from finishing — it’s from starting, and knowing their loved ones would have somewhere to begin.