More Than a Will: What a Complete Estate Planning Checklist Really Looks Like

Estate planning is an essential part of organizing your life, but it can seem quite daunting. Get a quick start on your estate planning journey with this  checklist.

What is Estate Planning and Why Does It Matter?

Estate planning is the process of organizing your financial, legal and personal affairs to ensure that your wishes are honored during your life and after your death. The foundational elements like a will or a trust are essential. They determine who inherits your assets, who cares for your children, and how your estate is handled. But a true effective estate plan goes even further.

Beyond legal documents, estate planning should consider the human side of your legacy. This includes your values, your stories, your sentimental belongings and the personal guidance your loved ones may need when you are no longer here. It’s about making things easier both practically and emotionally. 

The goals of estate planning include:

• Ensure your assets go to the right people.

• Minimize taxes and legal costs.

• Avoid family disputes and court delays.

• Appoint trusted individuals to manage your affairs if you’re unable to.

• Provide clear instructions about your health, values and final wishes.Preserve your legacy in tangible and intangible ways.

A well-rounded estate plan ties it all together. It includes what’s written down in legal documents AND what lives on in your memory, such as who gets your grandfather’s watch, the story behind your family recipes, or the values you hope your family carries forward. Use this checklist to organize every part of your legacy. 

Estate Planning Checklist

Take Inventory of Your Assets

Before you can make decisions about your estate, you need to understand what you’re working with. Creating a full picture of what you own, both financially and physically, is the first step toward building a plan that reflects your real-life situation and values.

• List all tangible assets: homes, vehicles, jewelry, collectibles, and other valuable items

• Record financial accounts: bank accounts, investment portfolios, retirement accounts, pensions.

• Include digital assets: online accounts, email, cloud storage, cryptocurrency.

• Estimate the total value of your estate to inform planning decisions.

Why it matters: Knowing what you own is the foundation of your estate plan. It ensures all assets are accounted for and distributed according to your wishes.

Identify and Bequeath Personal Heirlooms

Not every meaningful item has a high dollar value. Family heirlooms, keepsakes, and personal belongings often carry deep emotional weight. Naming who gets what and sharing why can prevent misunderstandings and preserve your legacy.

• List sentimental items (jewelry, artwork, recipes, letters)

• Specify who should receive them and why.

• Consider writing short personal notes to accompany heirlooms.

Why it matters: These items often hold the most emotional weight—and can cause conflict if not clearly designated.

Compile a List of Debts and Liabilities

Your estate includes more than what you own. It also includes what you owe. Identifying debts ensures your estate can be settled fairly, without surprises or confusion for your loved ones.

• List all outstanding debts: mortgages, credit cards, student loans, business debts.

• Include regular obligations like utility bills or rent if applicable.

• Note any co-signed or joint liabilities.

Why it matters: Your estate must settle these debts before distributing assets. An accurate list prevents surprises and delays. 

Provide Instructions for Memorial and Legacy Wishes

Funeral and memorial planning is often left until it’s too late. Including your preferences from burial to music to who should speak, gives your family clarity during an emotionally difficult time.

• Note preferences for burial, cremation, or donation.

• Specify any cultural, spiritual, or personal rituals.

• Include contacts or music you'd want played.

Why it matters: Loved ones often feel pressure to “get it right.” Clear guidance eases the emotional burden and ensures your wishes are honored.

Leave Final Messages

What do you want people to remember? Beyond finances and logistics, many people want to pass on life lessons, love, and personal reflections. Writing or recording final messages ensures that your voice lives on.

• Write a letter or record a video sharing your life lessons, values, and hopes.

• Pass down family stories, traditions, and personal reflections.

Why it matters: This is your chance to be remembered in your own words, something your family will treasure beyond any material gift.

Draft or Update Your Will

Your will is one of the cornerstone documents in any estate plan. It allows you to express your wishes clearly and legally, so decisions aren’t left up to chance or the courts. Even a simple will can make a major difference.

• Create a legally valid will with an attorney or trusted platform.

• Name an executor/s to carry out your instructions.

• Specify who receives which assets.

• Appoint guardians for any minor children.

Why it matters: Without a will, state laws decide who gets what. A will ensures your property goes where you want it and can prevent family disputes.

Consider Creating a Trust

Trusts aren’t just for the ultra-wealthy. They can provide control, privacy, and protection that a will alone can’t. Whether you’re trying to avoid probate, care for a family member, or preserve your assets, a trust may be worth considering.

• Evaluate whether a revocable or irrevocable trust is appropriate.

• Fund the trust by transferring titles to the trustee.

• Define terms for how and when assets are distributed.

Why it matters: Trusts can avoid probate, keep your affairs private, and protect assets from taxes or creditors.

Designate Powers of Attorney

No one likes to think about being unable to make decisions but planning for that possibility is an act of care. Powers of attorney allow the people you trust to step in if you ever need help managing your finances or health care.

• Assign a Financial Power of Attorney to manage your finances if you’re incapacitated.

• Assign a Healthcare Power of Attorney to make medical decisions on your behalf.

• Complete a HIPAA release to authorize access to your medical records.

• Assign Legacy Contacts <link to digital legacy post> for your digital accounts

Why it matters: These documents give loved ones legal authority to act in your best interest if you can’t.

Complete an Advance Healthcare Directive (Living Will)

If something happens and you can’t speak for yourself, an advance directive ensures your medical preferences are respected. It’s a gift to your loved ones in a crisis, removing doubt about what you would have wanted.

• Specify your wishes for end-of-life care, resuscitation, and life support.

• Share copies with your doctor and healthcare agent.

Why it matters: It prevents uncertainty and emotional burden on loved ones during medical crises.

Review and Update Beneficiary Designations

Some of your most important assets such as life insurance or retirement accounts are passed on through beneficiary designations, not your will. Keeping these up to date is crucial to making sure your plan works as intended.

• Check beneficiaries for life insurance, retirement accounts, and payable-on-death accounts.

• Remove outdated or deceased names.

• Ensure these match your overall estate plan.

Why it matters: These designations override your will and are a fast way to transfer assets so they must be accurate.

Plan for Minor Children

If you have children who depend on you, your estate plan needs to protect them. That means choosing guardians you trust and making sure any inheritance is handled responsibly on their behalf.

• Appoint a trusted guardian in your will.

• Consider creating a trust to manage assets until the child is of legal age.

• Write a letter of guidance for guardians about your wishes and values.

Why it matters: If you don’t name a guardian, the court will decide who raises your children.

Purchase or Review Life & Long-Term Care Insurance

Life and long-term care insurance can provide vital financial support for your family and help protect your estate. Reviewing your policies ensures they’re aligned with your current situation and future goals.

• Ensure your policy covers your income, debts, and funeral expenses.

• Assess whether long-term care insurance is needed for potential nursing or assisted living costs.

Why it matters: Insurance can protect your estate from being drained by healthcare or support your family after your death.

Organize and Store Estate Planning Documents

Even the best plan can fall apart if no one can find the documents. Creating a secure, accessible system for your estate paperwork—and letting key people know where it is—is a simple but critical step.

• Store all original documents in a fireproof box or secure digital vault.

• Share access with your executor or a trusted contact.

• Include a list of account passwords or use a password manager with legacy access.

Why it matters: Even a perfect estate plan is useless if no one can find it when it’s needed.

Review and Update Your Plan Regularly

Your life isn’t static, and your estate plan shouldn’t be either. A regular review helps keep everything aligned with your current wishes, relationships, and financial situation.

• Schedule a review every 6 months to a year or after major life events (marriage, birth, divorce, relocation).

• Update outdated documents and verify executor and guardian are still appropriate.

Why it matters: Life changes—and your plan should keep up. An outdated plan can create confusion and legal problems.

Communicate Your Plan

A plan that’s kept secret can still cause confusion. By sharing your intentions, you reduce the risk of conflict and help the people you trust prepare to carry out your wishes with confidence.

• Talk with your executor, family, and other key people about your plan.

• Share where to find important documents and contacts (lawyers, financial advisors).

• Clarify your wishes to avoid misunderstandings.

Why it matters: Transparency reduces stress, prevents conflict, and helps others carry out your wishes smoothly. 

How End of an Era Enhances Estate Planning

End of an Era simplifies estate planning by turning this checklist into a guided, secure, and shareable experience. Instead of managing everything on your own, our platform helps you stay organized, make informed choices, and keep your plan up to date. We help you go beyond the legal documents, capturing the stories, intentions, and details that families often forget to write down

With End of an Era, you can:

• Follow guided workflows that walk you through each step from naming guardians to managing digital assets to identifying heirlooms and recording final messages.

• Securely store and share documents, notes and videos with the people who need them, when they need them.

• Receive timely reminders to update your plan as life changes.

Estate planning isn’t just about assets. It’s also about legacy.. We make it easier to manage both so you can focus on what really matters: peace of mind for the people you love.

Undoubtedly estate planning can be complex and time-consuming. For each of the steps listed above, there are additional details and considerations (e.g. which type of power of attorney is appropriate). However, even getting started with this simple checklist can put you ahead in securing your legacy and the financial well-being of your loved ones.

Ready to get started?

If you are planning your estate, End of an Era can help you make sense of what comes next. 

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