What is a Final Arrangement Wishes document?
A Final Arrangement Wishes document is a non-binding letter to your executor and/or family outlining your funeral preferences and end-of-life guidelines. It's not a legal directive, so your loved ones aren't required to follow it, but most will use it as a meaningful reference when making decisions.
What can I include?
- Burial or cremation preferences
- Funeral, memorial, or celebration of life details
- Religious or cultural traditions you want observed
- Music, readings, or speakers
- Obituary preferences
- Charitable donation requests in lieu of flowers
- Anything else you want your family to know
Why isn't this part of my will?
Keeping final arrangements separate from your will is intentional:
- Timing. Wills are often read days or weeks after death, well after funeral decisions need to be made. However, a separate document with your final arrangement wishes can be shared with loved ones immediately.
- Privacy. Wills often become part of the public record during probate, but a Final Arrangement Wishes letter can stay private between you and the people you share it with.
- Different purpose. Wills handle the legal transfer of assets. Since funeral instructions inside a will aren't legally binding on your executor anyway, keeping them separate is simply more practical.
Why isn't this shipped with my other estate planning documents?
Unlike your will, trust, and healthcare directives, the Final Arrangement Wishes document is designed to live digitally:
- No signing required. Because it's non-binding, there's no formal signing process tied to a physical copy.
- Always up to date. The version in your Trust & Will account is the source of truth. Your legacy contact can access the latest version when it's needed most.
- Easy to revise. You can update it at any time within your account, and changes are immediately available to anyone you've shared access with.
- Still downloadable. If you'd prefer to keep a physical copy or save a PDF, you can download it from your account at any time or print it out.
How do I access or edit it in my account?
To edit your Final Arrangement Wishes, head to the Documents page and select the Summary tab, where you'll find the Final Arrangements section near the bottom. Once you've filled it out, your Final Arrangement Wishes document will appear within the Documents tab. To make edits, just return to that section, and your changes will update automatically.
How do I make sure my family can find it?
You can share the document directly with your loved ones, or add a legacy contact to your Trust & Will account so that they can access the latest version when needed.
Is this the same as an advance healthcare directive?
No, these documents serve different purposes. An advance healthcare directive covers medical care decisions while you're still living but unable to speak for yourself. On the other hand, Final Arrangement Wishes is about what you'd like to happen and how you'd like to be remembered once you're gone.