The Parent Planning Checklist
An adult daughter’s complete guide to protecting family finances, assets & wishes — before a crisis forces the conversation.
Instant download • PDF • One-time Payment
I created this checklist because no one handed me one when I needed it most — and I wish they had.
My parents both recently passed, and I found myself navigating a maze of accounts and documents at the worst possible time. I’d already watched my grandparents leave behind a genuine mess. Now my aunt is a widow with no children, and I’ve realized my closest girlfriends are quietly going through versions of the same thing. So I built the resource I wish someone had handed me.
— Christina
WHY THIS MATTERS
The Gap Nobody Warns You About
1 in 7
Americans are owed unclaimed property they don’t know about — from old accounts, forgotten 401(k)s, uncashed checks, even life insurance policies unclaimed!
#1
Most forgotten step: updating beneficiary designations, which will legally override even a perfectly written will.
Most
Families discover the gaps in their planning only during a crisis — a stroke, a death, a sudden incapacity.
WHAT'S INSIDE
14 sections. 200 items.
Every conversation you need to have.
01 Legal Documents & Records
Wills, POAs, trusts - plus how to find them fast.
04 Real Property & Deeds
Deeds, mortgages, tax bills — and where the paperwork lives.
07 Key Service Providers
The accountant, lawyer, and financial advisor — all one call away.
10 Healthcare Planning
Directives, medications, and doctors — ready when needed.
13 Family Communications
Hard conversations, made a little easier to start.
02 Bank Accounts & Safe Deposit Boxes
Every account, every branch, every box — no more guessing.
05 Vehicles & Titles
Cars, boats, RVs — titles, loans, and insurance, tracked.
08 Digital Assets & Access
Passwords, logins, and accounts that don't stop when someone can't.
11 End-of-life Wishes
Funeral plans, final wishes — said out loud, not guessed at.
14 Annual Review Tracker
One page to keep everything current, year after year.
03 Investments & Retirement
401(k)s, IRAs, pensions, and advisor contacts in one place.
06 Insurance Coverage
Life, health, home, auto — policies you won't have to hunt.
09 Unclaimed Property
Find money you didn't know was missing - across generations!
12 Elder Fraud Prevention
Red flags to watch for, before a scam does damage.
HOW THIS IS DIFFERENT
Not Another Generic Checklist
Government Checklists
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Basic and generic
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No fill-in fields
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Written for anyone, no one in particular
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No unclaimed property guidance
Etsy End-of-Life Planners
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Written for the parent, not you
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Focused on funerals, not finances
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No service provider contact sheets
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Often missing legal updates
The Parent Planning Checklist
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Written by a daughter, for families
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Built from real family lessons learned
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Full financial & legal coverage
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Fillable contact sheets & annual tracker