The Retirement Planning Checklist That Isn't About Money
Reviewed by Everendium Editorial Team · Last reviewed August 22, 2026
Quick answer
Retirement is a natural, non-alarming moment to update the things that often get neglected for years - a will, healthcare directives, beneficiary designations, and simply making sure family knows where things are. None of this requires a health scare to justify doing it now.
Most retirement planning is entirely about money — savings, income streams, when to claim benefits. This is the other checklist: the parts of retirement planning that have nothing to do with your portfolio, but matter just as much.
Review your will
If you have one, check that it still reflects reality — marriages, divorces, new grandchildren, or simply a change of mind about who should get what. If you don’t have one yet, retirement is as good a prompt as any to finally create one.
Update your beneficiary designations
Retirement accounts and life insurance policies pass to whoever is named as beneficiary — regardless of what your will says. This is one of the most commonly overlooked updates, and an outdated designation can produce outcomes nobody actually wants.
Put healthcare directives in place
An advance directive and a named healthcare proxy ensure someone you trust can make medical decisions if you’re ever unable to — worth having in place well before it’s needed, not arranged during a crisis.
Consider a power of attorney
A financial power of attorney lets someone you trust step in and manage your affairs if you’re ever unable to — separate from a healthcare proxy, and worth having for the same reason.
Make sure your family knows where things are
Not necessarily the details — just the locations. Where the will is, who your attorney or financial advisor is, and how to access important accounts if needed.
Think through your general wishes — even loosely
Burial or cremation, general funeral preferences, where you’d want to live if you eventually needed more support — none of this needs to be decided in detail right now, just enough that your family isn’t starting from zero later.
Talk to your family about what you’ve done
A checklist completed quietly and never mentioned doesn’t help anyone. Letting your family know these things exist — even without sharing every detail — is what actually makes the difference later.
This is a starting checklist, not a complete legal or financial plan - see our guide on getting your affairs in order for a fuller picture, and consider an estate attorney for anything beyond the basics.
Frequently asked questions
Why connect this to retirement specifically?+
Retirement is simply a natural checkpoint - a moment of genuine life change that many people already use to review their finances, which makes it a convenient, non-alarming time to also review the things people tend to put off indefinitely otherwise.
Does this mean something is wrong if I'm doing this at retirement?+
No - this is exactly the point. Doing this kind of review while healthy and simply marking a life transition is the calm version of this task, rather than the version that happens under pressure during a health crisis.
How is this different from typical retirement planning?+
Most retirement planning focuses entirely on money - savings, income, investments. This is about the non-financial parts that are just as important but often get skipped: legal documents, healthcare wishes, and making sure your family isn't left guessing.
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