Planning for end of life is essential, but often overlooked. Pondering your mortality makes many of us uncomfortable so it’s no surprise that people avoid making end-of-life choices. While it may be tough at first, taking proactive steps ensures that your wishes will be respected and that your loved ones won’t have to make difficult decisions while they grieve. In fact, 60% of Americans say it’s extremely important that they don’t leave their loved ones with the burden of making tough decisions. 

End-of-life planning is also about creating a legacy that aligns with your values and what you cherished throughout your life. By documenting your wishes and having open conversations, you take control of your legacy and leave clear instructions for your loved ones to follow. This will minimize confusion and reduce the likelihood of family disputes later on. It will also ensure that your assets and final arrangements are handled how you want. 

Below we cover 7 essential end-of-life planning steps, from creating a will and trust to choosing your final resting place. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to create a comprehensive end-of-life plan, or jump to: 

1. Wills and Trust
2. Assets
3. Additional End-of-Life Documents
4. End-of-Life Housing
5. Final Resting Places
6. Writing an Obituary
7. Talking to Loved Ones 

What is End-of-Life Planning?

End-of-life planning is the process of establishing clear directives for what will happen when you pass away. It involves making decisions about your assets, healthcare, and final resting place, as well as organizing legal and financial documents. Making these decisions before you pass ensures that your wishes will be respected and reduces the emotional and financial burden on your loved ones. 

The Importance of End-of-Life Planning

End-of-life planning is difficult to approach but offers you and your loved ones profound peace of mind. Though the conversations and decisions may stir uncomfortable emotions, many feel relieved once they’ve started implementing a plan. In fact, 53% of Americans would be thankful if their loved one initiated an end-of-life discussion, according to The Conversation Project.

“It’s important to have a plan in place, no matter if you’re healthy or sick, young or old,” Kelly who purchased a Memorial Tree in our Santa Cruz memorial forest earlier this year remarks. A well-prepared plan relieves loved ones from making tough decisions and ensures your wishes are honored. Without a clear plan, families often face the emotional burden of making crucial and expensive decisions while grieving. Having a clear plan can also mitigate the potential of disputes about handling your disposition and assets. 

End-of-life planning is about more than the logistics of passing—it’s about celebrating life and creating your legacy. By organizing details ahead of time you can make choices that align with your values and leave a legacy that reflects what matters most to you. One of these choices may be selecting a sustainable memorial with Better Place Forests to ensure that even in your absence, you’re making a positive impact on the planet. Ultimately, end-of-life planning brings peace to both you and those you care about, creating clarity and ease when that difficult time comes. 

Regardless of how important planning is, it’s difficult to get started. That’s why we created Wishes, an easy 10-question end-of-life planning quiz, to help you begin thinking about the legacy you want to leave. Take the simple quiz to get started planning today. 

How to Create an End-of-Life Plan

You’re already taking the first and most significant step by starting to plan. Try setting goals for yourself to work on the following tasks incrementally—and don’t feel that you have to accomplish them in this exact order. It’s important to take the appropriate amount of time to carefully think through your choices to ensure you’re being thoughtful about what kind of legacy you want to leave. 

Many find it helpful to use a checklist to go through the process. Download our End-of-Life Planning Checklist to keep track of your progress as you go. 

1. Create a Will and Trust

Most of us know that we need a will and it’s usually the only end-of-life planning that people do—if any. A will is a legal document detailing how you wish your property to be distributed upon death. It can be as specific or broad as one wishes, ranging from generic asset allocations to detailed bequests. A will can also designate guardians for children, assign an executor to manage your estate, and help you express your final wishes. Without a will, the state will decide how to distribute your assets and handle guardianship for anyone in your care. 

Many people choose to pair a will with a trust. A trust is a legal arrangement that allows the transfer of assets from a grantor to their beneficiaries. One benefit of a trust is that it allows you to bypass probate, a lengthy court process, allowing for smoother transitions of assets and wealth. Trusts also offer more control over asset distribution, particularly in complex familial or financial situations.

You can create a will on your own or with the help of an attorney. In recent years, people have also begun using estate planning software to create key end-of-life planning documents like wills and trusts. 

You should update your will and trust regularly to reflect any major life changes like getting married or having children. Engaging with an estate planning attorney will ensure that your legal arrangements adhere to state-specific laws and effectively capture your intentions.

Family members are always free to contest your will or your trust, so make sure everybody knows your wishes and document them in full compliance with the law. 

2. List Assets

Your assets reflect your lifetime of achievements, memories, and milestones. A significant part of end-of-life planning is ensuring that these assets are managed and distributed the way you want while offering security for your loved ones. Start by creating an inventory of both tangible and intangible items, noting monetary and sentimental value. Both will be important when making decisions about distribution. 

While every individual’s asset portfolio will vary, here are some common assets to consider:

• Bank Accounts: Savings and checking accounts
• Liquid Assets: Cash, deposits, and Certificates of Deposit (CD)
• Retirement Funds: Pensions, 401K, and IRAs
• Investments: Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and trusts
• Receivables: Money owed to you
• Real Estate: Property and land holdings
• Insurance Policies: Life, health, and disability insurance
• Business Assets: Ownership stakes, intellectual property, and business ventures
• Artistic Assets: Art, collectibles, and other valuable pieces 
• Personal Assets: Cars, jewelry, and personal valuables
• Sentimental Items: Family heirlooms and items with sentimental value 

It’s important to assign specific designations if certain assets need to be allocated to particular individuals, charities, or causes. This clarification will ensure that your wishes are followed and curb any disputes over asset allocation. An estate planning attorney can help solidify these desires, ensuring they’re legally binding. 

3. Prepare Additional End-of-Life Documents

End-of-life planning requires careful attention to detail, especially regarding essential documentation. A will and trust may be all you need, but if you have more complex asset distribution or health situations, these additional legal documents can be instrumental in safeguarding your wishes. 

Here are some key end-of-life documents:

• Letter of Intent: A personal, non-binding document that provides context to the directives in your will or trust, explains funeral preferences, specifies care plans for pets, indicates the allocation of personal belongings, and offers guidance on the location of other legal documents or access to digital accounts. While it’s not legally binding, a letter of intent offers clarity for your loved ones and reduces potential confusion or misinterpretation of your final wishes.
• Power of Attorney: Allows a trusted person to act on your behalf to make important health, financial, or legal decisions. A power of attorney becomes important if you become unable to make decisions for yourself due to illness, disability, or other unforeseen circumstances. 
• Organ Donor Card/Designation: This document outlines your wishes regarding organ or tissue donation. It can specify if you want your organs used for transplantation, research, or both. Documenting your intent helps medical professionals act according to your wishes, potentially saving lives or advancing medical research.
• Domestic Partnership Agreement: For couples who share their lives but aren’t legally married, this agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of each partner. This is especially important for partners who share property, assets, or dependents. 

In addition to a will and trust, these supplementary documents can play a crucial role in ensuring that your end-of-life wishes are fully honored. Each document serves a unique purpose and provides further clarity to ensure that your legacy is protected.

4. Make Housing Plans

Depending on illness or age, you may need to make housing arrangements for the months before you pass away. Assisted living or in-home care can provide the extra help that you need to make your last days comfortable. Each end-of-life housing option provides a different level of care at varying prices. Beginning the search for end-of-life housing now, while you’re healthy and able, can save you and your loved ones time and stress later. 

A few end-of-life housing options include: 

• Assisted Living Facilities: These facilities are ideal for those who need extra care, but want to maintain their independence and social life. Residents live in private or shared rooms and are assisted around the clock by trained nursing staff. Unfortunately, assisted living is quite expensive and not typically covered by insurance. The average cost of living in assisted living in the United States runs about $4,500 a month or $54,000 a year, according to the National Council on Aging. 
• Nursing Home/Facilities: The best option for those with more serious health conditions. Nursing Homes provide 24/7 care and long-term assistance for people living with chronic illnesses, severe disabilities, and degenerative diseases. While certain insurances or Medicare may pay a portion of the costs, the individual or their family still typically bears a significant portion of the costs. The median cost of a nursing home in the United States is about $104,025 to $116,800 a year according to Genworth. 
• In-Home Care: Most of us would prefer to spend our last days in the comfort of our own home, but depending on our needs we may need additional care to pass peacefully. An in-home nurse provides the same services as a nurse in an assisted living facility or nursing home, without uprooting you from your home. In-home care prices vary widely by state, but Genworth found that on average in-home care costs about $5,720 to $6,292 a month. 

Whether you choose assisted living, nursing care, or in-home services, making these decisions now gives you control over your environment and the level of care you’ll receive. Exploring options in advance will allow you to find the best fit for your needs and budget.

5. Choose Your Final Resting Place

Making arrangements for your funeral and final disposition is deeply personal. What you choose will depend on your religion, values, and family plans. From traditional burial options to newer, eco-friendly methods, there are many ways to honor your life and legacy while considering both personal and environmental values.

Some of the most common types of dispositions include:

• Cremation: Uses heat to reduce the body to ash. Cremation ashes can then be placed in an urn, turned into art, or spread in a special place like a favorite city or a Better Place Forests memorial forest.
• In-ground Burial: An embalmed body in a casket is buried beneath the earth in a cemetery. Often adorned with a headstone or plaque, the grave is a physical marker and a site for memory and reflection.
• Above-Ground Burial: Mausoleums offer an alternative to in-ground burials. These structures, either standalone or part of larger complexes, house the deceased or their ashes, preserving their memory in a central location. These are often chosen by families desiring a shared final resting space.
• Natural Burial: A harmonious return to nature, natural burial eliminates the use of embalming chemicals, caskets, and vaults. This option allows the body to decompose naturally, embracing the cycle of life.
• Natural Organic Reduction: A relatively new concept, sometimes referred to as human composting. The body is converted into nutrient-rich soil, forging a deep connection with the environment allowing new life to come from death.

Whether rooted in religious customs or personal preferences, selecting how and where your body will be laid to rest is an important part of end-of-life planning. This decision not only reflects your wishes but also provides comfort and a place of remembrance for loved ones.

Learn about the burial practices and funeral etiquette of Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Mormonism. 

6. Draft Your Obituary 

When you begin thinking about end-of-life plans you realize all of the ways that you can craft your legacy. One of those ways is by creating your own obituary, or creating an outline for loved ones to reference. By creating your own obituary you ensure that your values, accomplishments, and unique personality shine through the writing. It allows you to highlight personal milestones, professional achievements, and important relationships; as well as memorable experiences or charitable contributions that mattered to you. 

When you take the responsibility of drafting this narrative, it spares your family the difficult task of summarizing your life while grieving. You can include specific instructions for funeral preferences, mention significant milestones, and share words of wisdom, offering a personal touch that your loved ones will cherish. However it’s important to note that this step is purely additional. Unlike a will or trust, writing an obituary isn’t something you have to do. 

Your obituary should include: 

• Date and location of birth 
• Date and location of death
• Age at the time of passing
• Place of residence
• Preceding and surviving family members

Writing your obituary also encourages you to reflect on how you’ve lived and how you want to be remembered. The process can inspire you to evaluate your priorities, align your actions with your values, and pursue unfinished goals and connections. This process of self-reflection can allow you to leave behind a meaningful legacy, not just in words, but in the way you live your life going forward.

For more advice, read our obituary examples and learn how to write an obituary for a mother, father, sister, or brother. 

7. Discuss Your Plans With Loved Ones

Now that you’ve made plans, or at least begun the process, it’s time to share them with your trusted loved ones. By having these conversations, you remove uncertainty about your intentions, which can help prevent confusion or disagreements among family members later on. Clear communication can also reduce emotional stress for your loved ones, who will know that they are honoring your wishes during a difficult time. 

You may think that your loved ones know what you want, but until you have that conversation there’s no guarantee. One of our customers shares her story of end-of-life conversations with her late husband “In his final month of life, we started to have conversations about death,” recalls Joni. “I realized I hadn’t actually asked him, ‘Do you want a funeral?’ He said, ‘No! No funerals, no burials.’ Then I suggested a celebration of life, and he said, ‘Yes. That would be great.’ That surprised me but I thought, okay, I have a plan and feel good about that.”

Involving your family and close friends in these conversations also allows them to ask questions and provide input. They may have concerns or suggestions that you hadn’t considered, and engaging in an open dialogue fosters transparency. This exchange of information can also bring peace of mind to everyone involved, as your loved ones will feel more prepared to navigate the decisions ahead.

Without these conversations, family members might make assumptions or disagree on what you would have wanted, leading to unnecessary conflicts. By making your intentions clear and answering any questions ahead of time, you help create a smoother, more organized process for your loved ones when they need it most.

For more advice, read How to Talk to Loved Ones About End-of-Life Plans. 

Start Creating Your Legacy Today

End-of-life planning allows us to create a legacy that aligns with the life we created. When we avoid making these plans, they fall onto our loved ones who may not know what we want while they’re grieving. And sometimes this leads to unnecessary disputes that could have been avoided by pre-planning. By following the steps listed above you can give yourself and your loved ones peace of mind with clear instructions and legal documentation for what you want.

At Better Place Forests, we’re here to help you find a beautiful, natural final resting place that reflects your values and provides comfort to future generations. Begin your journey with Better Place Forests today and leave a meaningful legacy for your loved ones.

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