Personal and Financial Affairs Checklist for End-of-Life Planning
Will your loved ones be able to find important papers and ensure your wishes are carried out?
This checklist has been designed to assist you in organizing important information that will be readily accessible to your survivors after your death.
It will also help you preplan your funeral and leave a permanent record of these plans so that your family and/or executor will be able to fulfill your wishes.
Knowing what you wanted will relieve your loved ones of making decisions at a stressful time.
As part of your planning, you may choose to visit your funeral director and prearrange your funeral needs.
This act will have some significant benefits for you and your family. First and foremost, it will relieve your family members of the many decisions that must be made at the time of your death.
They won’t have to try and guess what you would have wanted, they will know.
In addition, if the funeral is prefunded, the family will not have to deal with an unexpected financial burden.
Another benefit is that SSI/Medicaid recipients are allowed to set aside money to fully fund the funeral service of their choice prior to their own funds becoming exhausted.
Finally, prearranging will give you the peace of mind knowing that you will have a funeral and burial which will fulfill your personal choices.
Discuss this checklist with them; involve them in the planning process.
Discussing your beliefs and desires openly will assist in assuring that when death occurs, your final wishes are carried out and your survivors have the information necessary to make their grief easier to bear.
Personal Affairs Checklist
- Select your estate executor
- File current/updated will
- Note biographical information
- Keep a listing of motorized vehicles, boats and trailers
- Keep a listing of owned real estate and firearms
- Make plans for pets
- Create a list of online passwords (email, financial, social media)
Financial Affairs Checklist
- Accountant
- Bank Accounts
- Credit Union Accounts
- Safe Deposit Box(es)
- Pensions
- Life Insurance
- Stock Broker
- Real Estate
- Social Security Administration
- Union Benefits
Are you interested in a printed copy of this checklist? Visit our Funeral Planning page and request a FREE information packet we mail to New York State residents with no obligation.