GuideHow to use an end of life planner
An end of life planner is a gift to the people who'd have to sort things out without you. It doesn't need to be finished in one sitting. Most people fill it in over a few weeks, a section at a time, and then review it once a year.
An end of life planner should cover your wishes, your people and where to find things. This one includes:
Calendar
Weekly and monthly pages
Twelve undated month pages for appointments and reminders, such as an annual review date. There are no weekly or daily pages, because this is a binder you keep for years, not a diary.
Wishes
Final Wishes
Final wishes, two accounts and assets pages (where to find them, no numbers), key people, a medical profile, an emergency plan and four letters to loved ones.
- Final Wishes · 1 page
- Accounts & Assets · 2 pages
- Key People · 1 page
- Medical Profile · 1 page
- Emergency Plan · 1 page
- Letter to a Loved One · 4 pages
People
Contacts & Dates
Contact pages, birthdays and anniversaries, and an important-info page for hints only, never full passwords.
- Contacts · 2 pages
- Birthdays & Anniversaries · 1 page
- Important Info · 1 page
Health
Health Admin
Appointments pages and a monthly medication tracker, so your current care is easy to hand over.
- Appointments · 2 pages
- Medication & Supplements · every month
Every section can be switched off in the builder, and sections from other planners can be added.
A printed end of life planner is often the most practical choice, because family members can find a binder on a shelf. Print it on US Letter or A4, keep it somewhere safe, and tell one or two trusted people where it is.
A digital version is easier to update. If you keep it digitally, store the PDF somewhere secure and make sure someone you trust can get to it. Many people keep both: digital for editing, a printed copy for the shelf.
One goal, followed through a single week. The milestone and weekly actions are the kind of lines the AI goal step writes onto your month and week pages; the daily notes are what you add by hand.