Last Updated February 20, 2024
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What is an End-of-Life Plan?
An End-of-Life Plan is an estate planning document outlining your final memorial and burial wishes. This can include details like whether you want a formal service and how you want your remains handled.
An End-of-Life Plan is also known as a:
- Funeral planning document
- Final wishes document
- Last wishes document
- Burial instructions
Why is having an End-of-Life Plan important?
Think of an End-of-Life Plan like a checklist or guide detailing how you want your friends and family to celebrate your life. Outlining your wishes helps your family because they won’t have to guess about what you want and make tough decisions while they grieve.
An End-of-Life Plan is only one of the estate planning documents that every adult should make. To help prepare your loved ones for the future, having these documents ready will further help them should anything happen to you:
These documents will give your family peace of mind, knowing they can follow through with all your final wishes regarding financial responsibilities, medical care, and more.
How to write an End-of-Life Plan
LawDepot’s user-friendly questionnaire allows you to include all the key information to complete your End-of-Life Plan. Customize your plan by including your wishes for the following:
1. Appointee
Your appointee is the person, or people, who will carry out your final wishes on your behalf. An appointee should be someone you trust to fulfill your wishes to the best of their ability. Also, if you have an existing Will, your executor may also act as your appointee.
2. Announcement of your passing
This step details how you would like your appointee to inform people of your passing. Options can include a small, informal notice or an obituary.
3. Organ donations
Many people wish to help others after their passing through organ donation. In your End-of-Life Plan, state if you’re an organ donor to ensure your appointee and loved ones are aware of your wishes and reduce delays in medical personnel removing any donated organs.
If you’re not already an organ donor but wish to be one, you can register via your province or territory’s government website.
4. Your remains
Once you’ve passed, your family needs to know how you wish your remains to be handled or prepared for burial. This can include being:
- Buried in a cemetery or private plot
- Entombed in a mausoleum
- Donated to medical science or education
- Cremated and having your ashes buried, entombed, given to a loved one, or spread at a specific location
5. Funeral wishes
Creating your End-of-Life Plan can include any specific funeral wishes you have for your family to follow. Types of arrangements include:
- Funeral
- Graveside service
- Memorial service
- Visitation or viewing
While outlining your funeral wishes, include any specific religious or spiritual traditions you may want your family to conduct.
6. Financial planning
To help your family follow through with your requests, you can include details on the funding for your final wishes, such as burial and funeral services. In your plan, you can indicate if you have put aside savings specifically for these plans or if your estate will reimburse any costs.
7. Final thoughts and messages
To finish up your End-of-Life Plan, you can leave any final thoughts or messages for specific loved ones. Write them in your End-of-Life Plan for them to read upon your passing.
8. Any other final instructions
Our questionnaire allows you to highlight any further instructions you wish your loved ones to have that may be more specific. For example, if you want a memorial or funeral service, you may decide to have family and friends donate to a charity of your choice rather than send flowers for the service.
Does an End-of-Life Plan need to be witnessed or notarized?
End-of-Life Plans don’t need to be notarized in Canada. However, it is the best practice to have it witnessed when signing. This helps validate your wishes regarding the disposal of your remains and funeral requests.
LawDepot’s End-of-Life Plan template creates a witness section on your document to help further validate your plans.
Is an End-of-Life Plan legally binding?
Though an End-of-Life Plan is not legally binding, it’s still essential for appointees or executors to try and fulfill your wishes to the best of their ability.
To help your appointee, discuss your plan with them and other loved ones so they know your wishes, where any funds will come from, and how they can best fulfill your requests.
