Free Resource
The Family Protection Checklist
A free checklist for families to review their life insurance coverage, organize key documents, and make sure their beneficiary designations are correct. Plain-English guidance by life stage.
Having life insurance is one step. Going back to confirm the amount still fits where you are in life, the beneficiaries are still right, and your family knows what to do when something happens is the step that gets skipped. This checklist walks you through all of it in plain English.
Is your life insurance coverage right for your stage of life?
The right coverage for a single person in their 20s looks completely different from what a family with a mortgage and young children needs, and different again from what makes sense for someone in their 50s or 60s. A common mistake is treating life insurance as a one-time decision rather than something to review as your life changes.
The checklist inside breaks coverage down by life stage with specific benchmarks so you can quickly see whether what you have matches where you are now.
Why your beneficiary designation matters
A beneficiary designation generally controls who is paid, even when a will says something different. An outdated designation can send the money to the wrong person, and the rules after a divorce vary by state. It is an avoidable mistake, and checking takes a few minutes.
The guide covers how to choose a primary beneficiary, why naming a contingent backup matters, and the life events that should trigger a review of your designations.
What documents does your family need access to?
When something happens, your family should not be searching for basic information during an already difficult time. The checklist includes the specific documents to keep safe, organized, and accessible so your family can handle things without added stress.
Knowing where these documents are is something you can do for your family today, entirely separate from any insurance decisions.
What is inside the checklist
- Life insurance coverage benchmarks by life stage, from single and under 30 to 50s and beyond
- A simple framework for estimating how much term coverage your family actually needs
- How to name primary and contingent beneficiaries correctly and when to update them
- A checklist of 9 key documents to keep safe and accessible for your family
- A reference card with the contacts your family will need when something happens
- Major life events that should trigger a coverage and beneficiary review
Who this is for
This checklist is for families who want to make sure they have the right coverage and have not left their family to figure things out alone. Whether you are a new parent just getting organized or someone who has had a policy for years and has never gone back to review it, this is a useful place to start.
Download it, work through it at your own pace, and use it as a starting point for any conversation about your coverage.