Make a Will Month: Your Complete Checklist Before, During, and After

Most Make a Will Month content stops at "go make a will."

That's fair. The majority of Americans still don't have one, and that matters. But for people who are ready to do this right, the will is step one of a longer process. Not the finish line.

Our founder, Maria, learned this the hard way after spending more than a year sorting through her father's estate with no practical roadmap. His will was in order. Everything else wasn't. She built the Nokbox because she couldn't find anything that actually closed that gap. The full story is on our story page.

Here's the complete checklist. Not just for the legal piece, but for everything that comes before it, during it, and after it. The after section especially. That's where most people leave their families exposed without realizing it.

Before you sit down with an attorney

Estate planning meetings go faster and cost less when you walk in prepared. Here's what to gather and decide beforehand.

Take inventory of what you own. Bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, real property, vehicles, business interests, digital assets. You don't need exact values, a working list is enough. This is also when you'll notice what's missing. Our estate planning basics post is a good primer if you're starting from scratch.

Check your existing beneficiary designations before anything else. Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and payable-on-death bank accounts pass directly to whoever is named on those forms. They're not governed by your will. If an ex-spouse is still listed on a 401(k), a will cannot override that. Check every designation. Not just the ones you remember setting.

Decide on your executor. This is the person who will carry out your wishes and manage the estate process. They don't need to be a financial expert, but they need to be organized, trustworthy, and ideally able to handle logistics in person when needed. Tell them you're naming them. This shouldn't be a surprise.

If you have minor children, decide on guardianship before the meeting. This is one of the most important decisions a will can make, and having a clear answer going in makes a real difference.

Gather your existing documents: any prior will or trust, life insurance policies, property deeds, and recent account statements. Your attorney needs a starting point.

During the process

A few things to make sure get addressed while you're working with an estate attorney.

Ask about will versus trust. For many people with real estate or assets in multiple states, a revocable living trust avoids probate which saves time and keeps the process private. Your attorney will help determine which structure fits your situation. Don't assume a will is always the right answer.

Be specific about bequests. If a piece of property, jewelry, artwork, or a sentimental item should go to a specific person, name them and name the item. Vague language doesn't prevent disputes. Specific language does.

Address digital assets. Cryptocurrency, online investment accounts, digital photo libraries, domain names, etc. More states are passing laws about digital asset access, and more estate plans need to address this explicitly.

Handle your healthcare directives at the same appointment. A durable power of attorney and a healthcare proxy are just as important as a will. If you'd prefer to handle the legal documents from home before or after meeting with an attorney, the Nokbox Estate Planning Package covers all three (will, advance healthcare directive, and financial power of attorney) through our LifeLegacy partnership, valid in all 50 states.

After the will is done... the part most people skip

The will is signed. It's notarized. The attorney has a copy.

Now comes the part that actually protects your family in the near term.

A will gives your next of kin legal authority over your estate. What it doesn't give them is any of the practical information they need to use that authority. For a full breakdown of why, see Why a Will Isn't Enough. Here's what needs to exist, somewhere organized and accessible.

Every financial account. Every bank, brokerage, and retirement account: institution name, account type, account number, how to access it. Not just the ones that feel significant but  all of them.

A password record. Email, phone, laptop, banking portal, investment accounts. Your family needs to get into these things. The Nokbox Companion Password Book is built for this: a dedicated place to record key credentials, designed to sit alongside your Nokbox.

Insurance policies. Health, life, auto, home, and long-term care if applicable. Carrier name, policy number, who to call to file a claim. Life insurance especially. Billions in unclaimed benefits sit with insurers because families didn't know to look or couldn't find the paperwork.

Property and vehicle details. Mortgage servicer and account number, HOA contact, property tax account. Vehicle titles, registration, financing, insurance cards.

Recurring bills and subscriptions. What's on autopay, what card or account it charges, and whether your family should keep it or cancel it. This list is always longer than people expect.

Important contacts. Estate attorney, financial advisor, accountant, employer HR, doctors, specialists, pharmacy.

Medical information. Current diagnoses, medications, pharmacy name, healthcare providers' contact information.

The small things. The spare key location. The storage unit combination. The alarm code. The neighbors worth knowing. The service providers you trust. We've written about the details most people overlook — this category tends to surprise people the most.

And if there are personal stories, memories, or messages you want to leave, the Notes for Your NOK gives you a structured place to capture all of it alongside the practical information. The Password Book and Notes for Your NOK bundle is a popular combination.

Tell someone where it all is. An organized record that no one knows about helps no one.

This is exactly what the Nokbox is for

Everything in that after checklist has a place inside a Nokbox. Sixty-seven color-coded folders organized by category, with checksheets that walk you through what information belongs in each one. You don't have to build the system or figure out the categories. Maria designed it after going through the scavenger hunt herself. She covered every category she wished her father had organized.

For the complete package—kit plus legal documents together—the Nokbox Base Kit Plus Estate Planning Package pairs the Nokbox with the LifeLegacy will, healthcare directive, and power of attorney, so the legal and practical pieces come together at the same time.

Once your Nokbox is set up, a simple monthly routine keeps everything current without making it a project. And if you'd like hands-on support getting started, the Nokbox Academy offers coaching and guided sessions.

Make a Will Month is a good prompt to do both.

The will is the starting line. The Nokbox is everything after.

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Questions worth answering

What is the first step in estate planning?

Take inventory of what you have: accounts, property, insurance policies, existing documents. Then work with a licensed estate attorney to create a will and related documents. The Nokbox Estate Planning Package is an accessible at-home option. The step most people skip is organizing the practical information that sits alongside those legal documents. That's what the Nokbox handles.

What's the difference between a will and a living trust?

A will directs the distribution of assets and must go through probate (the court) supervised process that authorizes the executor to act. A living trust transfers assets directly to beneficiaries without probate, which can save time and keep the process out of public record. For people with real estate or assets in multiple states, a trust often makes more sense. An estate attorney can help you decide.

Where should I keep my will and estate documents?

The original will typically lives with your attorney or in a fireproof, accessible location at home. Avoid safety deposit boxes as they can be difficult for a family to access quickly after a death. All practical records should be organized and accessible to the executor and next of kin. The Nokbox Fireproof keeps documents in a fire-resistant case, and the Nokbox Base Kit organizes everything else alongside it.