Welcome to
passing-thoughts
What We Provide:
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For you - Explore our range of resources to assist you with your end-of-life and estate planning.
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For you, your family and your Executor - Our Model Template (Microsoft Word document) will assist you withYour End of Life and Estate Planning and the creation ofYour Personal Planner - this information is essential for wrapping up your estate as well as a treasured family gift. This is also an opportunity for you to have some fun planning your funeral, celebration of life or wake; and to do some creative thinking & writing for your obituary and legacy.
Introduction
As you navigate your own journey through the end of life, it can be useful to draw upon the experience of others. A wide range of resources are available from national and international government agencies, national health services, and well known non-governmental organizations and foundations that work in these spaces.
The resources listed in this website are referenced by the agency cited and country (e.g., Source: AgeUK, United Kingdom), and links are provided to the agency’s website and other resources of interest. These are independent websites and you should check their respective privacy policies to see what information is collected and your rights therein.
Further, you should note that legal requirements, advice and customs vary by country and jurisdiction, and you will need to check the applicability of the suggested resources against your local circumstances.
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Self-Assessment - Are you ready to go?
As a quick self-assessment from the point of view of your estate executor, how would you rate yourself on the following tasks to be undertaken by your Executor or family? (Note that the tasks of an Executor vary by county and state / province).
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If you answered ‘Yes’ to everything in your self-assessment, then you are in good shape!
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If there are any ‘No’ answers in your self-assessment, then the Model Template and supporting resources provided in this website are made for you. In particular, if you haven’t left a Will, appointed an Estate Executor, and put together a list of your assets, liabilities, financial institutions, and online accounts, then the wrap up your of estate can become legally complicated, lengthy, potentially contested, and expensive.
You might want to double-check your ‘Yes’ answers too, as this Site might have some additional ideas to consider.
Table of Contents
The resources for this Site are broadly arranged on four main pages: (1) Before, (2) Before but fading, (3) Beyond, first steps, and (4) Beyond, next steps. The pictures on the Site reflect the changing seasons as observed in countries in the more northern and southern latitudes - Spring on the Home page, Summer on the Before page, Autumn on the Before but fading page, and Winter on the Beyond pages.
Click on any of the headings below to go directly to that page and topic. The topics are color-coded for ease of reference.​​
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1) Before
Reasons for, and guidance on, planning ahead for the end of your life
Wills, power of attorney, estate planning
Appointing, and duties of, an estate executor or administrator
Your Legacy
Advance / Health Care Directives
Ageing in place
Hospice and palliative care / Caregiving
Dying with dignity / Medically assisted dying
Who should be informed immediately upon a person’s death?
Funeral / Celebration of Life arrangements
Prayers, hymns and music
Obituaries, eulogies, memorials
Coping with grief and getting on with life
Financial assistance and survivor benefits
The Model Template, when completed, provides important information that an Executor and/or family members will need following your death. Such planning is also an opportunity to think about your care requirements and wishes, to have some fun planning your funeral, celebration of life or wake, and to do some creative writing for your obituary.
The themes in the Model Template are based upon the research and guidance of well known and reputable international government agencies, national health services, and non-governmental organizations and foundations that work in these spaces.
The 8 themes are:
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Theme 1 - A Cover Page, Table of Contents, and a footer for keeping track of the pages. The cover page should include your full name and previous names, address, date of birth, and the date the document is effective. A Table of Contents should appear on the immediately following page. There should be room at the bottom of each page of the planner for your signature or initials, and the date thereof – this will assist with keeping track of any changes or updates over time.
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Theme 2 - A ‘Getting Ready’ checklist of the legal documents that you have considered and are in place for your end-of-life and estate planning (e.g., the locations of your Will, Power of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directive and other important documents).
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Theme 3 - Your arrangements for the care of children and other dependents, pets, stored reproductive material, etc.
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Theme 4 - Your end-of-life preferences (e.g., the preferred location of your death, who you would like to be present, your funeral and celebration of life wishes, items to note in your obituary, etc.).
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Theme 5 - Your family tree (e.g., the basic information needed by your Executor and the writer of your obituary).
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Theme 6 - Your financial information (list of assets and liabilities, banking information, pension plans, etc.). These should be kept in a safe, secure and locked location.
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Theme 7 - Your social media, membership, and other online accounts. The login and password information should be kept in a safe, secure and locked location.
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Theme 8 - A summary of important contacts for your Executor and family (who to notify when wrapping up your estate).
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The Model Template is not a legal document, should be completed personally, and stored in a secure location. As you work through the Model Template, choose the themes and items that apply to your situation, delete those that don’t, and add others as you deem necessary. Keep in mind that your work is not only intended for the use of an Executor to wrap-up your estate, but also as a gift and potential treasure for your family (i.e., create Your Personal Planner).
The Model Template can be downloaded for a cost of CAD 9.99 as an editable Word file. While exchange rates vary daily, in December 2025 the comparable costs were approximately USD 7.31 or EUR 6.21 or GBP 5.41 or AUD 10.88. You can find the current exchange rates on Oanda
