For families in the United States
A kind, clear way to plan for the end of life.
Wills, advance directives, funeral arrangements, life insurance for final expenses. The paperwork that nobody wants to think about and everybody eventually has to. We have done this ourselves. We know what is actually hard and what is just made to feel hard. Start where you are.
There's no rush. You can leave any page and come back to it later.
Where would you like to start?
For yourself
I'm planning ahead.
You're well, or well enough. You want a will, a healthcare directive, maybe a small life insurance policy so your family isn't left with a $9,000 funeral bill. One careful afternoon will get you most of the way.
Start your plan →
For a parent or partner
I'm caring for someone.
Mom is in hospital, or your husband's diagnosis just changed everything. You need to know what paperwork matters most, in what order, and how to make decisions without crashing. We will narrow the list.
Find the next step →
In the first weeks
I've just lost someone.
You don't need a homepage. You need a checklist, a calm voice, and someone telling you what is urgent and what can wait. Come in. We will walk through it with you.
See the 14-day checklist →
Reviewed by practitioners
Every page is read by a working estate attorney, a hospice nurse, or a licensed funeral director before it goes live.
Sources cited inline
Numbers and rules come from named, public sources: state bar associations, NHPCO, CMS, AARP. No vague "studies show".
No data resold
Your details only go to the providers you ask to be matched with. We do not sell mailing lists. Ever.
The four things almost every American family needs.
Most of what people call "end-of-life planning" comes down to four documents and decisions. You don't have to do them in one go. You don't have to do them all. But this is what we keep recommending, year after year, to family and friends.
A will (and maybe a trust)
Says who gets what, and who is in charge. Without one, your state writes one for you, and you usually won't like it.
Advance directive
A living will plus a healthcare proxy. Tells doctors what you want if you can't speak for yourself.
Funeral or cremation plan
Either pre-pay, or just write down what you want. Saves your family $3,000–$8,000 and a fight at the worst possible moment.
Final expense insurance
A small whole-life policy, $10–$25k, that pays out fast so your family isn't covering the bill from their own checking account.
Recent guides.
Long, careful pieces. No fluff, no scare tactics. Each one closes with a section called "what this guide gets wrong" because real writers admit limits.
What to do when someone dies: a 15-step checklist
The first hours, the first week, the first month. Written by someone who lost a parent in 2023 and kept the receipts.
The cost of dying in America in 2026
Funeral, cremation, probate, estate fees, plot, casket, headstone. All in one place, with cited median prices by region.
Living will vs healthcare proxy: which do I actually need?
Both, almost always. Here is what each one does, and which decisions each one covers.
Honest answers, before you give us anything.
Is LovingPlan a law firm or insurance company? +
No. We are a small editorial and matching service. We research providers, write plain-English explainers about end-of-life paperwork and decisions, and put you in touch with vetted companies in your state. The actual will, policy, or arrangement comes from those companies, not from us.
How do you make money? +
When you ask us to match you with a provider and you sign up with them, the provider usually pays us a referral fee. That fee is the same whether or not you came through us, so the price you pay does not change. We refuse fees from providers we would not personally use.
Why does this site read so unlike most end-of-life websites? +
Because the writers have done this for their own families and remember how it felt. Most sites in this space sound like a brochure. We try to sound like the friend you call at 9pm who happens to know how probate works in your state.
Can I just get a checklist without giving you my email? +
Yes. Every guide on the site is free and open. The form is only there if you want us to shortlist providers for you.
Take your time.
If you only do one thing today, fill in the healthcare proxy. It's free, and it's the one most families regret not having.
Start with the healthcare proxy