Not medical advice. The content on this page is for informational and support purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, treatment, or guidance. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about a medical condition or treatment plan.
End-of-life planning is one of the most loving things a person can do for their family. It removes the burden of impossible decisions from people who are already grieving, ensures that wishes are honored, and prevents the legal and financial complications that can tear families apart. This checklist covers the key areas to address.
Legal Documents
These are the foundational documents of end-of-life planning:
Will / Last Testament
- Will is current and reflects current wishes
- Will has been reviewed by an attorney
- Executor has been named and has agreed to serve
- Location of will is known to executor and key family members
Durable Power of Attorney (Financial)
- Document is in place and current
- Agent has been named and understands their responsibilities
- Copies distributed to banks, financial institutions
Healthcare Power of Attorney / Healthcare Proxy
- Document is in place and current
- Healthcare proxy has been named and understands their responsibilities
- Copies distributed to healthcare providers
Advance Directive / Living Will
- Document is in place and reflects current wishes
- Covers: resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, comfort care
- Copies with primary care physician, specialists, and in medical records
POLST / MOLST Form (for those with serious illness)
- Completed with physician
- Posted in a visible location at home (typically on the refrigerator)
Financial & Practical Matters
Financial accounts
- List of all bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts
- Beneficiary designations are current on all accounts
- Location of account information is known to executor/agent
Property & assets
- Deeds, titles, and ownership documents are organized and accessible
- Safe deposit box location and key are known
- Digital assets (email, social media, online accounts) — access information documented
Insurance
- Life insurance policies located and beneficiaries confirmed
- Long-term care insurance (if applicable) — policy details documented
- Medicare / Medicaid / supplemental insurance cards and information accessible
Debts & obligations
- List of outstanding debts (mortgage, loans, credit cards)
- Recurring bills and subscriptions documented
Funeral & burial preferences
- Burial vs. cremation preference documented
- Funeral home preference (if any)
- Pre-paid funeral arrangements (if any) — documentation accessible
- Obituary wishes or draft
Medical Wishes
Beyond the formal advance directive, it's valuable to document more personal medical wishes:
- Preferred hospital (if choice is available)
- Preferred hospice organization (if known)
- Organ donation wishes documented and registered
- Wishes about pain management and comfort care
- Wishes about where to die (home, hospital, hospice facility)
- Wishes about who should be present at the end of life
- Religious or spiritual preferences for end-of-life care
- Any treatments they specifically do or do not want
These wishes don't need to be in a legal document — a personal letter or recorded conversation can be just as meaningful and can provide guidance in situations the formal documents don't cover.
Personal & Family Matters
End-of-life planning isn't only about legal and financial documents. The personal dimension matters too:
- Important relationships — is there anyone they want to reconnect with or say something to?
- Personal belongings — are there specific items they want to go to specific people?
- Letters or messages to loved ones — written or recorded
- Life story or memoir — any desire to document their life for family?
- Pets — who will care for them?
- Charitable wishes — any organizations they want remembered?
These conversations can be among the most meaningful of a caregiving relationship. Don't wait until the end to have them.
After the Checklist: Keeping It Current
End-of-life planning is not a one-time event. Review and update these documents:
- Every 3–5 years as a general practice
- After any major health change
- After any major life change (marriage, divorce, death of a named agent or beneficiary, significant change in assets)
- After moving to a new state — laws vary, and documents may need to be updated
Tell the people who need to know where these documents are. The most carefully prepared plan is useless if no one can find it.
And finally: if you haven't done your own end-of-life planning, let this be the nudge. Caregivers are often so focused on their loved one's documents that they neglect their own. Your family deserves the same gift you're giving your loved one.