A practical, print-friendly checklist for organising legal, financial and personal estate-planning tasks before speaking to Scottish professionals.
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A practical starting point
Estate planning is not one document or one decision. It is the process of organising information, recording wishes, arranging appropriate legal documents and checking that financial nominations and ownership arrangements still reflect your circumstances.
Not every item in this checklist applies to every person. A parent of young children, a business owner and someone with assets abroad will have different priorities. Use the list to identify what is relevant, what is already in place and what needs a professional discussion. You do not need to solve every question before contacting a solicitor.
The priority labels mean:
Start here — information or decisions that commonly provide the foundation for the rest of the plan.
Important — an item to address when it applies to your circumstances.
Review — an existing arrangement to locate, check and revisit after change.
WillWise can help you organise preparation information and questions for a Scottish solicitor. It does not make a will, power of attorney or medical document; alter ownership; update a pension nomination; provide regulated financial advice; or carry out your wishes.
Keep four types of task separate
Preparation tasks
These involve gathering names, documents, approximate values, account references and questions. They help you give advisers an accurate overview. WillWise is designed for this part of the process.
Legal documents
A will and power of attorney are separate legal documents with their own rules and purposes. Guardianship wording, trusts, property title and cross-border matters can also require legal work. Record what you want to discuss, then ask a suitably qualified Scottish solicitor to advise and prepare documents where appropriate.
Financial planning
Pensions, life assurance, investments, tax and business succession may be governed by provider rules, contracts, ownership and tax law as well as a will. A solicitor, regulated financial adviser, accountant or tax adviser may need to work alongside one another. Do not change a product or transfer an asset solely on the basis of a general checklist.
Personal wishes
Funeral preferences, family messages and practical instructions can help the people close to you, but they are not all legally binding. Keep changeable guidance where it can be found and ask a solicitor what belongs in a will and what is better recorded separately.
Will and core legal planning
[ ] Start here — Find any existing will. Record its date, who prepared it and where the signed original is held. Do not write on or attach amendments to it.
[ ] Start here — Decide whether a will is needed or needs review. There is no general legal duty to make a will, but without one the Scottish intestacy rules determine distribution. Read Do I Need a Will in Scotland?.
[ ] Important — Tell the solicitor about family complexity. Include marriage, civil partnership, cohabitation, separation, divorce, stepchildren, dependants, estrangement and any concern about a possible claim.
[ ] Important — Identify foreign connections. Assets, residence, domicile, citizenship or documents in another country can require coordinated advice.
[ ] Review — Check whether earlier documents still fit. A later relationship, death, birth, property purchase or business change can affect the plan even when the document remains formally valid.
A Scottish will should be properly drafted and signed. Citizens Advice Scotland recommends using a solicitor because formal errors or unclear provisions can cause difficulty. Scottish legal rights may also allow a surviving spouse, civil partner or children to claim from the net moveable estate, so wishes cannot be planned safely from a list of assets alone. See Scottish Legal Rights Explained.
Executors, guardians and beneficiaries
[ ] Start here — Consider executors. Record a first choice and substitutes, ask whether they are willing, and think about reliability, workload, location and conflicts. An executor administers the estate; the role is not simply honorary. Use How to Choose an Executor for Your Will in Scotland.
[ ] Important — Consider guardians where relevant. Parents should record proposed and alternative guardians, existing parental responsibilities and rights, important relationships and practical support. A nomination is not an unconditional guarantee; the child's welfare remains central. Read Choosing a Guardian for Your Children in Scotland.
[ ] Start here — List beneficiaries clearly. Use full names and relationships for preparation, and flag charities, classes of people, young beneficiaries or anyone who may need ongoing support.
[ ] Important — Record specific gifts. Describe the intended item or amount and consider what should happen if it is sold, changes form or the recipient dies first.
[ ] Important — Think about the residue. This is broadly what remains after debts, expenses, taxes and specific gifts. Ask the solicitor how it should pass and what substitutes are appropriate.
[ ] Review — Check names and circumstances. A change of name, address or relationship does not necessarily require the same response in every document, but it should prompt review.
Do not promise an inheritance before advice. Debts, administration costs, tax, ownership arrangements, provider discretion and legal-rights claims may affect what is available.
Property, assets and liabilities
[ ] Start here — List land and buildings. Record addresses, approximate values, mortgages, co-owners and where title information can be found.
[ ] Important — Check ownership. A survivorship destination or other title provision may affect how Scottish property passes. Do not assume the will controls every jointly owned asset.
[ ] Start here — Create an asset overview. Include bank and savings accounts, investments, valuable belongings, vehicles, loans owed to you and relevant online holdings. Account references are usually enough for preparation; do not record passwords or full security credentials.
[ ] Start here — Create a liability overview. Include mortgages, loans, credit, guarantees, tax liabilities and significant recurring commitments. Note the lender and an approximate balance.
[ ] Review — Update approximate values. Exact valuations may not be necessary for an initial appointment, but advisers may need current evidence before giving final tax, legal or financial advice.
[ ] Important — Flag ownership uncertainty. Tell the solicitor if an asset was paid for jointly but held in one name, is disputed, is subject to a trust or has been promised informally.
[ ] Important — List each pension provider and scheme. Note where statements and nomination forms are held. Pension death benefits may be governed by scheme rules and trustee or provider decisions rather than the will alone.
[ ] Review — Check expressions of wish or nominations. Ask each provider what is recorded, how it operates and when it should be updated. Do not assume a will automatically changes it.
[ ] Important — List life assurance and death-in-service benefits. Record the provider, policy reference, ownership and any trust or nomination. Ask for advice if the intended outcome is unclear.
[ ] Important — Record business interests. Include company shares, partnerships, sole-trader assets, shareholder or partnership agreements, guarantees, key-person cover and people who hold operational knowledge.
[ ] Review — Coordinate succession arrangements. A will, articles, agreements, insurance and tax planning may interact. Business owners should seek coordinated legal, accounting and financial advice rather than treating the business as an ordinary personal possession.
MoneyHelper explains that what happens to pension benefits depends on the type of pension and scheme arrangements. Provider records should therefore be checked directly, especially after family or employment changes.
Digital assets and online accounts
[ ] Important — Make a digital inventory. Include email providers, cloud storage, social media, websites, subscriptions, domain names, digital creative work and relevant crypto or online financial references.
[ ] Start here — Record access arrangements safely. Note which password manager or recovery method is used, but never place passwords, seed phrases, one-time codes or security answers in a will, WillWise preparation or general checklist.
[ ] Review — Check platform settings. Some services offer legacy-contact, memorialisation, download or deletion choices. Provider terms and access law matter.
[ ] Important — Identify financial or business value. Tell the solicitor about cryptoassets, monetised accounts, intellectual property or digital operations that may require specialist advice.
A will operates after death. A power of attorney can give chosen people legal authority to act during your lifetime within the powers granted. It is a separate document and must follow the Scottish framework.
[ ] Important — Consider a Scottish power of attorney. Think about who could deal with financial matters and who could make welfare decisions if the document authorised them. Discuss powers, safeguards, substitutes and registration with a Scottish solicitor.
[ ] Review — Locate an existing power of attorney. Record where it is held, who the attorneys are and whether circumstances or relationships have changed. Do not amend it informally.
[ ] Important — Consider future care planning. NHS inform describes future care planning as a way to discuss and record what matters to you if your health changes. This may include preferences, an advance statement or, in suitable circumstances, an advance directive.
[ ] Important — Seek clinical and legal guidance. Medical wishes are not the same as a will or power of attorney. Their form, scope and effect can differ. Discuss treatment questions with an appropriate healthcare professional and obtain legal advice where needed.
[ ] Review — Make information findable. Ask the relevant professional who should have a copy and how it should be recorded in health or legal records.
WillWise does not create, certify or store a power of attorney or medical decision on your behalf. Start with the Power of Attorney in Scotland guide, then use official and professional support.
Funeral wishes and family communication
[ ] Important — Record funeral preferences. Note burial or cremation preferences, ceremony, cultural or religious considerations and any plan or policy. Funeral wishes are not necessarily legally binding, so make them clear and accessible without assuming a guaranteed outcome.
[ ] Review — Check any funeral plan. Record the provider, what is included and who should contact it. Do not infer coverage from a marketing name.
[ ] Important — Tell trusted people where guidance is held. They do not need every financial detail, but uncertainty can be reduced if executors or close family know which solicitor holds the will and where practical instructions can be found.
[ ] Important — Plan sensitive conversations. Explain appointments and broad intentions where appropriate, without pressuring anyone or disclosing another person's confidential information.
[ ] Review — Keep personal letters separate where advised. Ask the solicitor which wishes belong in the will and which can sit in a more easily updated letter.
Documents, advisers and secure storage
[ ] Start here — Create a document index. Record what exists and where it is held: will, title information, policies, pension statements, business agreements, power of attorney and relevant identity or family documents.
[ ] Start here — List professional contacts. Include the solicitor, accountant, regulated financial adviser, pension contacts and insurance providers relevant to the plan.
[ ] Important — Protect originals. Ask the solicitor about suitable storage for the signed will and how executors will locate it. Do not keep the only copy somewhere no one can access.
[ ] Important — Apply least access. Store sensitive material securely, use strong account security and give each person only what they need. Do not email full identity documents or financial packs unless a trusted recipient has confirmed a suitable method.
[ ] Review — Remove obsolete copies carefully. Confirm which signed document is current before destroying anything. Retain necessary tax, ownership and professional records in line with advice.
[ ] Review — Keep an access note. Record how trusted people can find the index and contact professionals without publishing passwords, encryption keys or alarm codes.
Print-friendly master checklist
Use your browser's Print command to print this section or save it as a PDF. Tick N/A where an item does not apply. This is a preparation record, not a legal document.
[ ] Start here — Locate or arrange a professionally prepared will. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Start here — Record executor choices and substitutes. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Record guardian choices where relevant. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Start here — List beneficiaries, gifts and residuary intentions. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Start here — List property, ownership and mortgages. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Start here — Summarise financial assets and liabilities. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Review — Check life assurance, trusts and beneficiaries. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Coordinate business succession arrangements. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Create a credential-free digital asset inventory. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Discuss a separate Scottish power of attorney. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Discuss future care wishes with suitable professionals. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Record funeral and personal wishes accessibly. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Start here — Index documents and professional contacts. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Confirm secure storage and safe access arrangements. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Important — Have appropriate family or appointee conversations. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Review — Revisit the plan after a significant life event. N/A: [ ]
[ ] Review — Set a reasonable periodic review reminder. N/A: [ ]
Review after change, and periodically
Review promptly after marriage or civil partnership, separation or divorce, a birth or adoption, a death, a house move or purchase, a material health change, retirement, inheritance, business change, a move abroad or a significant change in assets or relationships.
Also choose a periodic review rhythm that is realistic for you. A short check can confirm that documents are findable, appointees remain suitable, provider nominations are current and no major fact has been missed. There is no universal interval that guarantees a plan remains suitable; the nature of your affairs and professional advice should guide it.
Do not hand-edit a signed will or legal document. Record the change and ask the professional who prepared it what formal update is required. See When to Review or Update a Scottish Will.
Common gaps
A will exists but cannot be found. Record the custodian and tell the executors how to contact them.
The will and provider nominations are assumed to match. Check pensions, death benefits and insurance separately.
Property ownership is described loosely. Obtain title information and disclose co-ownership or survivorship wording.
A guardian is named but financial arrangements are ignored. Care and management of inherited funds are separate questions.
Only assets are listed. Debts, guarantees, tax and recurring liabilities matter too.
Digital access means passwords in a document. Use a secure access plan, not exposed credentials.
A power of attorney is treated as part of the will. It is a separate lifetime arrangement.
Personal wishes are assumed to be binding. Discuss placement and legal effect with the relevant professional.
No one knows where anything is held. Secure storage must still be discoverable by the right person.
The plan is never reviewed. Life events, providers, relationships and the law can change.
Turn the checklist into a useful solicitor conversation
Start a WillWise preparation to organise your family information, proposed executors and guardians, beneficiaries, assets, liabilities, digital references and questions in one structured place. You can work through it gradually and take the resulting preparation pack to a Scottish solicitor.
WillWise completes the preparation step only. It does not create or execute legal documents, change ownership or nominations, provide financial or medical advice, or guarantee an outcome. When you are ready, prepare for your will appointment with a Scottish solicitor and let the solicitor identify what further evidence or advice your circumstances require.
This guide provides general information for people preparing in Scotland. WillWise is not a law firm and does not provide legal, financial, tax or medical advice. It does not create a legally valid will, power of attorney or advance medical document. The appropriate documents and steps depend on your circumstances, ownership arrangements, provider rules and current law. Seek advice from suitably qualified professionals before acting or changing an existing arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
Does every item on this estate-planning checklist apply to me?
No. Relevant tasks depend on your family, assets, health, business interests and existing arrangements. Mark non-applicable items clearly and ask a Scottish solicitor which issues require action in your circumstances.
Is estate planning the same as making a will?
No. A will is one legal document. Estate planning can also involve preparation, property ownership, pensions, insurance, powers of attorney, business arrangements and personal wishes, each of which may operate under different rules.
Can WillWise complete this checklist for me?
WillWise helps you organise information and questions for a professional conversation. It does not create or execute legal documents, change provider nominations or ownership, or provide legal, financial, tax or medical advice.
Do I need exact asset values before speaking to a solicitor?
Approximate values and a note of unknown items can be useful for an initial discussion. Exact evidence may be needed before final legal, tax or financial advice is given.
Should passwords be included with my estate information?
No. Keep an inventory of services and a secure access process, but do not place passwords, recovery codes, security answers or crypto seed phrases in a will, ordinary checklist or WillWise preparation.
Are funeral and medical wishes legally binding?
Do not assume that all personal wishes have the same legal effect. Funeral preferences, future care planning, advance statements and advance directives are distinct. Discuss placement and effect with an appropriate Scottish solicitor and healthcare professional.
When should I review my estate plan?
Review after significant life, relationship, health, property, business or financial changes and at a sensible periodic interval. There is no universal timetable that guarantees a plan remains suitable.
Sources
Authoritative references used to support and review this guide.
