The My Wishes Checklist is a simple guide to help you gather important information in one place. Unlike many planning documents that focus mainly on medical or legal decisions, this checklist covers the everyday details that can be difficult for others to manage after someone dies.

It includes things people often don’t think to record, such as:

• Household bills and how they’re paid

• Banking information and account details

• Passwords and online accounts

• Insurance, subscriptions, and important contacts

• Wishes for your care and funeral

• Practical arrangements that matter to you

When someone dies, those left behind are often coping with shock and grief while also trying to navigate practical responsibilities they may never have handled before. Even if you’ve talked things through, it can be hard to remember everything at such an emotional time.

Having your wishes and information written down can:

• Make a painful time a little easier for those close to you

• Reduce uncertainty about what you would have wanted

• Help avoid confusion or disagreements

• Bring clarity at a time when people may feel overwhelmed

You don’t need to fill in every section, and you don’t have to do it all at once. You can even go back and edit the sections if things change. The My Wishes Checklist is a set of prompts to help you think ahead and plan, not something you need to complete perfectly. 

You may find that completing it raises questions you hadn’t considered before. The purpose of it is to help you start the important conversations now, giving you and the people around you time to understand your wishes and feel prepared when the time comes.