Estate Planning Basics Checklist

Core Documents

An online will service runs $100–$300; an estate attorney $1,000–$3,000. Either beats nothing.

• Write a will that names who gets what and who serves as executor
• Name a guardian for minor children in the will — without one, a court decides
• Sign the will correctly for your state — most require two witnesses, and some benefit from notarization (a 'self-proving affidavit')
• Create a durable financial power of attorney so someone can pay your bills and manage accounts if you're incapacitated
• Create a healthcare power of attorney (healthcare proxy) naming who makes medical decisions if you can't
• Complete a living will / advance directive stating your wishes on life support and end-of-life care
• Check every beneficiary designation on retirement accounts and life insurance — these override your will, and outdated ones are the most common estate mistake
• Name contingent (backup) beneficiaries on every account, not just primary
• Consider whether you need a revocable living trust (common triggers: owning property in multiple states, wanting to avoid probate, or minor children inheriting)

Accounts & Access

Cheap settings that skip probate entirely.

• Add transfer-on-death (TOD) designations to brokerage accounts — free, and assets pass outside probate
• Add payable-on-death (POD) beneficiaries to bank accounts — also free, done in minutes at your bank
• Check how your home is titled — joint tenancy with right of survivorship or a TOD deed (where available) avoids probate on the house
• Write a guardianship letter for your children's guardian: routines, medical info, values, and practical details the legal document doesn't cover
• Create a digital access plan: password manager emergency access, or a sealed master-password letter stored with your documents
• List your digital assets: email accounts, photo libraries, crypto, domain names, and social media — and what should happen to each
• Set legacy contacts on your Apple/Google accounts and Facebook — each has a built-in feature and they take 10 minutes total

Insurance Review

• Confirm your life insurance amount still matches your obligations — a common rule is 10–12x income while kids are young
• Verify life insurance beneficiaries are current (post-divorce and post-remarriage policies are notorious for paying the wrong person)
• Check employer group life coverage and whether it's portable if you leave the job
• Review disability insurance — protecting your income while alive is part of the same plan
• Consider long-term care planning if you're 50+ — premiums rise sharply with age

Communication

Documents nobody can find might as well not exist.

• Tell your executor they're your executor — and confirm they're willing
• Tell your named guardians and POA agents what you've asked of them
• Create a document locations list: where the will, policies, deeds, account list, and passwords live
• Give a copy of the locations list to your executor or store it where they know to look — not only in a safe deposit box (those can be sealed at death)
• Compile a one-page account inventory: every bank, brokerage, retirement account, insurance policy, and debt with institution names
• Have the money conversation with aging parents too — their missing documents become your problem
• Set review triggers: recheck everything after marriage, divorce, births, deaths, moves between states, or big money changes — and at least every 3–5 years regardless