Most people avoid end-of-life planning because thinking about death is uncomfortable. But the families who are left behind often say the same thing: "I had no idea where anything was." This checklist changes that.
Work through it at your own pace. You don't need to do everything at once. Each item you complete is one less burden for the people you love.
Legal Documents
- Last will and testament — Where is the original signed copy? Who is the executor? See what happens if there isn't one. Haven't written yours yet? See our step-by-step guide to writing a will.
- Living will / advance directive — Your instructions for medical care if you can't speak for yourself.
- Healthcare proxy / medical power of attorney — Who is authorized to make medical decisions on your behalf?
- Hospice and end-of-life care preferences — Have you documented your wishes for comfort care, life-sustaining treatment, and pain management? Learn what hospice care involves and whether it aligns with your values.
- Financial power of attorney — Who can manage your finances if you're incapacitated?
- Trust documents — If you have a living trust, where are the documents and who is the successor trustee?
- Beneficiary designations — Are they up to date on retirement accounts, life insurance, and bank accounts?
Financial Accounts
- Checking and savings accounts (bank name, account type — not account numbers)
- Investment and brokerage accounts
- Retirement accounts (401k, IRA, pension)
- Life insurance policies (company, policy number, how to file a claim)
- Social Security information
- Outstanding loans or debts your family should know about
- Safe deposit box location and key
Insurance
- Life insurance — company name, policy number, contact for claims
- Health insurance — current coverage, how to continue or cancel
- Homeowner's or renter's insurance
- Auto insurance
- Long-term care insurance
- Any prepaid funeral or burial insurance
Property and Assets
- Real estate deeds and mortgage information
- Vehicle titles
- Business ownership documents
- Valuables your family may not know about
- Storage units (location and access)
Digital Life
- Password guidance — Not raw passwords, but instructions for how your family can access critical accounts. (Consider a password manager with an emergency access feature.)
- Email accounts — which ones matter and how to access them
- Social media accounts — what should happen to each? (Facebook has a "memorialization" option)
- Subscription services to cancel (Netflix, streaming, magazines)
- Domain names or websites you own
- Cryptocurrency — instructions for accessing wallets (treat like cash)
- Online photo storage (Google Photos, iCloud, Dropbox)
Important: For passwords, we recommend storing instructions on where to find passwords — not writing raw passwords in a document. A password manager with emergency access is the safest approach.
Funeral and Burial Wishes
- Burial or cremation preference
- Funeral home preference (or a prepaid arrangement)
- Type of service: formal, informal, religious, secular
- Music preferences
- Readings or speakers
- Burial location or instructions for ashes
- Donation preference in lieu of flowers
- Any cultural or religious requirements
You can store all of this in FinalKeepSake's Final Wishes section, which becomes part of your family handoff package.
Personal Wishes and Messages
- A letter to your spouse or partner
- Letters to your children
- Any final thoughts or messages for close friends
- Instructions for specific personal items (who gets what)
- Wishes for how you'd like to be remembered
Important People to Notify
- Employer or business partners
- Attorney and accountant
- Financial advisor
- Close friends who aren't in the immediate family
- Religious or community leaders
- Any organizations you belong to
What to Do Immediately After Someone Dies
This section is for families. In the days immediately following a death:
- Obtain multiple certified copies of the death certificate (at least 10 — you'll need them for banks, insurance, etc.)
- Notify Social Security Administration
- Contact the will's named executor
- Begin the probate process (consult an attorney)
- Notify financial institutions and insurance companies
- Cancel or transfer subscriptions and accounts
- File a final tax return (your accountant or estate attorney can guide you)
Making This Easier: Legacy Planning Tools
FinalKeepSake is designed to walk you through this entire checklist — one module at a time. You upload documents to a private vault, fill out your final wishes, write letters to loved ones, and then generate a complete Legacy Handoff Package your family can access when they need it.
Create a free account and start with the most important items. Even getting 30% of the way through this list is a meaningful gift to your family.