Veteran Forward HQ Resources
Estate Planning Checklist
Protect your legacy and ensure your final orders are carried out exactly as you intend.
Section 1 — Core Estate Documents
These are the legal instruments that speak for you when you cannot. Check the status of each and record where the original is kept.
| Document | Status (Done / In Progress) | Location of Original | Attorney / Service Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will | |||
| Living Trust (if applicable) | |||
| Durable Power of Attorney | |||
| Healthcare Power of Attorney | |||
| Living Will (Advance Directive) | |||
| HIPAA Release | |||
| Legacy Letter / Final Instructions |
Section 2 — Digital Estate Plan
In the modern age, your 'possessions' include digital accounts, photos, and social media. Without a plan, your family could be locked out of these forever.
Section 3 — Beneficiary Audit Master List
List every account that has a beneficiary designation. This serves as a master audit to ensure everything is aligned.
| Account Type | Institution | Primary Beneficiary | Date Last Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSP / 401(k) | |||
| IRAs (Roth/Traditional) | |||
| Life Insurance (All policies) | |||
| Bank Accounts (POD/ITF) | |||
| Brokerage Accounts |
Section 4 — The Locked Out Family
Captain Miller was meticulous with his physical paperwork, but he kept all his financial life in his head and on his password-protected laptop. When he passed unexpectedly, his wife realized she didn't have the login to their primary mortgage-paying account.
It took six months of legal battles, death certificate submissions, and stressful phone calls just to get access to pay the bills. 'I knew where the money was,' she said, 'but I couldn't touch it. It was like watching a life raft drift away while I was drowning.'
Miller's family finally got access, but the stress added a layer of trauma to their grief that could have been avoided with a simple digital estate plan. 'Tell your family the passwords,' or better yet, use a password manager with emergency access.