Estate Planning Documents Checklist
The essential documents every estate plan needs — and why having them is only half the battle.
1. Last will and testament
The foundation of any estate plan. A will names beneficiaries for your assets and designates an executor to manage the distribution. If you die without a will, state law determines who gets everything.
2. Revocable living trust
A trust lets your assets pass to beneficiaries without going through probate. It provides privacy, control over distribution timing, and can be amended during your lifetime.
3. Durable power of attorney
Appoints someone to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. Without it, your family may need a court-appointed guardian to pay bills or manage accounts.
4. Healthcare power of attorney
Designates someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you cannot. Often paired with a HIPAA authorization so your agent can access medical records.
5. Living will / advance directive
Documents your wishes for end-of-life care, including life support preferences and organ donation decisions.
6. Beneficiary designations
Retirement accounts (401k, IRA), life insurance policies, and payable-on-death accounts pass outside your will. Keeping these designations current is critical — outdated beneficiaries are one of the most common estate planning mistakes.
7. Property deeds and title documents
Real estate deeds, vehicle titles, and other ownership records must be organized so your executor can transfer them properly.
8. Business entity documents
Operating agreements, shareholder agreements, buy-sell agreements, and partnership documents govern what happens to your business interests.
9. Insurance policies
Life, property, liability, and long-term care insurance policies. Your beneficiaries need policy numbers, contact information, and claim instructions.
10. Continuity archive
The document that makes all other documents useful. A continuity archive records where each document is stored, who manages it, who to call in an emergency, and step-by-step instructions for successors. Without this layer, your estate plan is just paper.
Start with the free checklist
Use the Free Estate Continuity Checklist to organize what exists, where it is located, and who your family or advisors should contact first.
Create Your Continuity Archive
Organize your estate documents, advisors, and emergency instructions in one private workspace.