Final Expense Planning Checklist for Seniors: 15 Things to Decide Now

Planning Is an Act of Kindness

Most families do not struggle because they do not care. They struggle because they do not know what their parent, spouse, or grandparent wanted. A simple checklist can remove confusion during a hard week.

Final expense planning should answer three questions: what do I want, where is the money coming from, and who knows where the paperwork is?

Insurance Is Only One Piece

A final expense policy can create the money. Your documents and conversations tell your family how to use it. The National Institute on Aging recommends putting important papers in order and making sure a trusted person knows where they are.

The 15-Point Checklist

• Service preference — Burial, cremation, donation, or no formal service.
• Funeral home — Preferred provider or providers to compare.
• Budget — Amount your family should try to stay within.
• Policy — Company name, policy number, and agent contact.
• Beneficiary — Primary and backup beneficiary names.
• Documents — Will, power of attorney, and health care directive location.
• Death certificates — Who should order certified copies.
• Accounts — Bank, utility, mortgage, and credit card list.
• Passwords — Secure instructions for digital access.
• Veteran records — DD214 or service records if applicable.
• Religious contact — Clergy, church, or ceremony preferences.
• Obituary — Names, dates, and any wording preferences.
• Photos — Where preferred photos are stored.
• Family contact — Who should be called first.
• Review date — Update the plan after moves, marriages, deaths, or policy changes.

Sources: National Institute on Aging - getting your affairs in order · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - planning for diminished capacity and illness