Essential Documents
"Dying With Documents"
You don’t want to leave this to chance—documents matter. Getting your legal and financial paperwork in order helps ensure your wishes are followed, protects your loved ones, and prevents unnecessary confusion and stress. This page covers the most important documents to complete, along with tools to help you get started and follow through.
Start Here: Must-Have Documents
Last Will and Testament
Explains how your assets are distributed and names someone to carry out your wishes.
Without one, state law decides who inherits your property.
Durable Power of Attorney
Allows someone to manage your financial affairs if you cannot.
Without it, access to your finances may require court involvement.
Advance Directive (Living Will)
Outlines your medical wishes if you are unable to communicate.
Without it, others will make medical decisions for you.
Final Disposition Authorization
Names who has legal authority over your body and final arrangements.
Without it, the state determines control.
Next Level: Important but Situational
Revokable Living Trust
A Living Trust lets you place assets under your management while alive and name someone to take over upon your death or incapacity—often avoiding the time and expense of probate court.
- Useful for those with property in multiple states or significant assets.
- You remain in control while alive and can change or revoke it anytime.
Beneficiary Designations
Certain assets—like retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and bank accounts—pass directly to the person named as your beneficiary, outside your Will.
- Keep these designations up to date, especially after life changes such as marriage, divorce, or new dependents.
Letter of Instruction (Personal Wishes Letter)
Not a legal document, but still vital. A Letter of Instruction provides practical guidance for your loved ones—passwords, funeral preferences, pet care, key contacts, and other details.
- It has no legal force but can make settling your affairs much easier.
Where to Store These Documents
- Tell at least one trusted person where your documents are kept.
- Avoid storing the only copy somewhere inaccessible.
- Keep both physical and digital copies if possible.
Templates & Resources
Free: Nolo’s Final Arrangements Kit helps you document your wishes for burial or cremation, services, and your obituary in one simple, all-in-one guide.
A short introduction to the workshop instructors and why their background should inspire potential student’s confidence.
$5 fee: Five Wishes is a widely used advance healthcare directive that helps you think through and document your medical preferences when you can’t speak for yourself, with versions available for all states, multiple languages, and even children and teens.