An end-of-life planning checklist helps you record important documents, contacts, care preferences, financial information and personal wishes. Start by making the information findable and marking what remains unfinished. Legal documents and healthcare decisions need the requirements that apply where you live.
Why does end-of-life planning matter?
Nobody enjoys thinking about death. But taking the time to plan ahead is one of the most caring things you can do for the people you love. End-of-life planning isn't about being morbid — it's about making sure your wishes are known, your affairs are in order, and your family isn't left guessing during one of the hardest times of their lives.
This checklist covers every major area you should address. You don't have to complete it all at once — even starting with a few items makes a difference.
Which legal documents should you have in place?
Will or testament. This is the foundation of any end-of-life plan. Your will specifies how your assets should be distributed and who you trust to carry out your wishes (your executor). You can also write down who you would like to care for minor children, but in most countries this is a wish that a court or authority takes into account rather than a binding appointment. If you don't have a will, the law in your area will decide these things for you.
Power of attorney. A power of attorney allows someone you trust to make financial or legal decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so. What a power of attorney can cover differs from country to country. In Sweden, for example, a future power of attorney (framtidsfullmakt) can cover financial and personal matters but not health care or dental care. Check which types exist where you live and what each one may cover.
Advance directive or living will. Names and legal effects differ by country. Discuss how to record treatment preferences and any refusal of treatment with your care team, using the applicable local requirements. A general wish list is not the same as a valid advance decision.
Beneficiary designations. Review the beneficiaries on your life insurance policies and pension savings, where your country's rules let you name them. Ordinary bank accounts generally don't have named beneficiaries in the Nordic countries and form part of your estate. Where a beneficiary designation does exist, it can take precedence over your will, so make sure it's up to date.
How should you organize your financial information?
Create a financial overview. List all your bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement funds, insurance policies, debts, and recurring financial obligations. Include account numbers and the institutions that hold them.
Life insurance. If you have dependents, life insurance can help protect them financially, within the cover limits and exclusions set out in the policy. Review your coverage amount and make sure your beneficiaries are current.
Debts and obligations. Document any mortgages, loans, credit card balances, or other debts. This helps your executor understand the full financial picture.
Tax information. Keep recent tax returns accessible and note the name of your accountant or tax advisor if you have one.
How do you document your healthcare wishes?
Medical preferences. Beyond your advance directive, consider writing down your general approach to medical care — how aggressive you want treatment to be, your feelings about hospitalization versus home care, and any treatments you specifically want or don't want.
Organ and tissue donation. If you want to be an organ donor, make sure this is documented and that your family knows your wishes. Registration processes vary by location.
Current medications and conditions. Keep an up-to-date list of all medications, dosages, allergies, and ongoing health conditions in a place your family can find.
What personal wishes should you write down?
Funeral or memorial preferences. Do you prefer burial or cremation? A religious or secular service, or a celebration of life? Music, readings, or specific traditions from your own faith or culture? Writing these down removes the guesswork for your family.
Personal messages. Consider writing letters to the people who matter most to you. These become treasured keepsakes that provide comfort long after you're gone.
Digital legacy. List important accounts and what you hope will happen to their data. Use official legacy settings and note where instructions are kept. Do not put passwords in the family checklist or assume another person may log in after your death.
Which contacts will your family need?
Create a list of key contacts your family would need, including your attorney or legal advisor, financial planner or accountant, insurance agent, employer and HR contact, doctor and specialists, and any religious or spiritual leader.
Where should you keep your end-of-life documents?
All of this planning only helps if your family can find it. Store your important documents in a secure but accessible place — a home safe, a secure digital vault, or with your attorney. Make sure at least two trusted people know where everything is.
How do you get started with end-of-life planning?
Start with three manageable tasks: record where key documents are stored, list the people your family should contact, and choose one unfinished legal or care-planning question to discuss with an appropriate professional. You can make progress without completing every document today.
A checklist that shows what is still missing
For each area, record: item, current status, location, person to contact and next action. Use “ready”, “needs advice”, “not found” or “not applicable”. Keep detailed medical records and identity documents in an appropriately protected location rather than a broadly shared list.
Documents: identify the current signed originals. Care: record who can explain your preferences. Money: list institutions and policy contacts. Digital accounts: identify provider instructions. Personal wishes: note what you want family members to know.
Can a written care preference require a particular treatment?
A preference is not a guarantee of a treatment. The NHS explains the role of an advance statement in England. Ask your care team how your wishes should be recorded and which decisions require a different formal process.
What should you check with a trusted person?
Ask them to find the document-location list and identify the next contact, without opening private files or using your passwords. If they cannot find it, fix the location note. If a document is a draft, label it as a draft.
Review the checklist when your contacts, relationships, provider arrangements or wishes change. Keep publication dates and your personal review dates distinct.
Explore Solace Care for practical planning support. Check current features and country availability before registering; an account does not grant legal authority or access to another person’s accounts. Create a Solace Care account.
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