Year-End Estate & Care Planning Checklist
As the year wraps up, it’s a smart time to review your estate plan and make sure everything still lines up with your goals. Families in Springfield and across Southwest Missouri often set up wills, trusts, and powers of attorney and never look at them again—but life changes, and outdated documents can cause real problems during a medical emergency or after a death. A simple year-end check can help you avoid probate issues, confirm that your deed and beneficiary designations are correct, and make sure your loved ones can step in without delays.
If you’re caring for aging parents or planning for your own long-term care, this is also the right moment to understand how Medicaid eligibility works in Missouri and what steps you should take before a crisis hits. These quick reviews can protect your life savings from nursing home costs and give your family clarity and peace of mind.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a practical Year-End Estate & Care Planning Checklist you can save, print, or share. It covers the key areas every Missouri family should review before heading into a new year.
1. Review Beneficiaries on All Accounts
Make sure the right people are named — retirement accounts, life insurance, bank accounts with POD/TOD designations.
✓ Are beneficiaries current?
✓ Do they reflect your overall plan?
2. Confirm Your Powers of Attorney Are Current
Especially financial and healthcare powers of attorney.
✓ Are the people you named still the right choices?
✓ Has anything changed (divorce, death, illness, conflict)?
3. Check That Your Deed Matches Your Intentions
Whether you’re using a trust, beneficiary deed, life estate, or other structure, the deed should mirror your plan.
✓ Is your home titled correctly?
✓ Does it avoid probate?
✓ Does it align with your trust?
4. Review Your Will or Trust Summary
You don’t need to read it line by line — just confirm:
✓ Who’s in charge?
✓ Who inherits?
✓ Are minors, stepchildren, or blended families addressed properly?
5. Verify Access to Important Documents
Your loved ones should know:
✓ Where your documents are stored
✓ How to access passwords and digital accounts
✓ Who to call if something happens
6. Talk With Your Adult Children or Trusted Helpers
A simple conversation can prevent confusion and conflict.
✓ Who will make decisions for you?
✓ What are your care preferences?
✓ Do they know how to find financial and legal information?
7. Review Long-Term Care Plans (Before a Crisis)
A sudden hospitalization or decline is the worst time to figure out care.
✓ Do you know the cost of care in your area?
✓ Do you know how Medicaid eligibility works?
✓ Do you know what your income and life savings would qualify for?
8. Update Your List of Accounts and Passwords
Not the passwords themselves (for email), but instructions.
✓ Bank accounts
✓ Investments
✓ Insurance
✓ Online bill pay
✓ Subscriptions
9. Check That All Professionals Are Updated
✓ Is your CPA aware of any big changes?
✓ Do you have a financial advisor?
✓ Does your attorney have the most recent information?
10. Schedule a Legal Check-In Every 3–5 Years (or After Major Life Changes)
Marriage, divorce, death, moves, births, health changes — all trigger the need for updates.
If you discover gaps while going through this checklist or want a professional review of your estate plan, our team at Fortified Elder Law is here to help. We guide families across Southwest Missouri through updating wills and powers of attorney, reviewing deeds, preparing for long-term care, and protecting their life savings from nursing home costs. A quick conversation can clarify what your plan already does well and what may need to change before the new year. If you’re ready for peace of mind this year, reach out to schedule a review or request more information about Medicaid eligibility, probate avoidance, or long-term care planning.