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End-of-Life Planning Checklist: Everything You Need to Prepare

By CRYSTAL BAI •

End-of-Life Planning Checklist: Everything You Need to Prepare

The short answer: A complete end-of-life planning checklist covers four areas: legal documents (advance directive, will, trust), financial preparation (accounts, beneficiaries, insurance), healthcare preferences (POLST/DNR, treatment wishes), and final arrangements (funeral pre-planning, digital accounts, obituary). Starting early reduces burden on your family and ensures your wishes are honored.

Why End-of-Life Planning Matters for Everyone

End-of-life planning is not just for the elderly or seriously ill. Accidents and sudden illness can happen at any age, and the families left without documented wishes face far more difficult decisions. Starting this planning in your 30s or 40s — and updating regularly — is the most caring thing you can do for those who love you.

  • ☐ Healthcare proxy / DPAHC — designate who makes medical decisions
  • ☐ Living will / advance directive — document treatment preferences
  • ☐ POLST or MOLST — if seriously ill; completed with your physician
  • ☐ Last will and testament — distribute property, name executor
  • ☐ Trust (if applicable) — for larger estates or specific distribution needs
  • ☐ Durable financial power of attorney — who manages finances if incapacitated
  • ☐ Guardianship designation — for minor children

Financial Preparation

  • ☐ Beneficiary designations — verify current on all retirement accounts, life insurance, and bank accounts
  • ☐ Financial account inventory — list of all accounts, institutions, and access information
  • ☐ Life insurance — ensure sufficient coverage and that beneficiaries are current
  • ☐ Debts and obligations — document outstanding loans, mortgages, credit obligations
  • ☐ Safe or lockbox inventory — document what's there and where to find the key/combination

Healthcare Preferences

  • ☐ Resuscitation preferences (CPR) — documented in advance directive or DNR order
  • ☐ Ventilator preferences — under what conditions, for how long
  • ☐ Artificial nutrition preferences — feeding tube wishes
  • ☐ Pain management and sedation wishes
  • ☐ Organ and tissue donation — register and note in advance directive
  • ☐ Hospice preferences — where you would want to die (home, facility, etc.)

Final Arrangements

  • ☐ Funeral pre-planning — burial vs. cremation, service preferences
  • ☐ Obituary draft — write or outline your own
  • ☐ Digital account inventory — email, social media, subscriptions, passwords
  • ☐ Memorial preferences — what kind of service, where, who should speak
  • ☐ Personal property distribution — who gets meaningful items not covered by the will
  • ☐ Ethical will or legacy letter — values, life lessons, messages to loved ones

Communicating Your Plan

Documentation is only effective if the right people know where to find it. Tell your healthcare proxy, executor, and trusted family members where documents are stored. A physical "end-of-life binder" or a shared secure digital vault (like Everplans) ensures nothing is missed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What documents do I need for end-of-life planning?

The core documents are: a healthcare proxy/DPAHC, a living will/advance directive, a last will and testament, a financial power of attorney, and (if seriously ill) a POLST/MOLST order. Trusts may be appropriate for larger estates.

How do I start end-of-life planning?

Start with the two most important documents: a healthcare proxy (designating who makes medical decisions) and a living will (documenting your treatment preferences). Both can be completed without an attorney using free state-specific forms from CaringInfo or Five Wishes.

What should I include in an end-of-life binder?

An end-of-life binder should include all legal documents, a financial account inventory, beneficiary designation summaries, insurance policy information, funeral preferences, digital account information, and a letter of instruction for your executor.

How often should I update my end-of-life documents?

Review and update your end-of-life documents after major life events: a new diagnosis, a change in relationships, a move to a new state, the birth of children or grandchildren, or significant changes in your values or wishes. At minimum, review every 3–5 years.

Renidy connects grieving families with compassionate end-of-life professionals. Find support near you.