Alaska Estate Planning Checklist: Every Document You Need

Generic estate planning checklists miss at least five Alaska-specific items that could cost your family thousands or leave assets in limbo for years. ANCSA stock wills, PFD post-death claims, medevac authorization, property in remote recording districts, and community property elections — none of these appear on a standard checklist from a national template provider.

Here's what a complete Alaska estate plan actually requires.

Core Documents (Every Alaska Adult)

Last Will and Testament

• Self-proving format (notarized affidavit attached) under AS 13.12.504
• Names personal representative (must be at least 19 years old)
• Includes bond waiver language to save your estate the cost of a surety bond
• References a Tangible Personal Property Memorandum for specific item bequests

Durable Financial Power of Attorney

• Effective immediately (not "springing") — critical for Alaska's remote geography
• Names a successor agent in case the primary is unavailable
• Explicitly grants authority over real property transactions, banking, and tax filings

Advance Healthcare Directive

• Combines living will (treatment preferences) with healthcare proxy designation
• Includes your proxy's 24/7 phone number — not just their name
• Addresses organ donation preferences and body disposition

HIPAA Authorization

• Separate from the advance directive
• Lists every person authorized to access your medical records
• Covers all healthcare providers, not just your primary physician

Property Transfer Documents

Transfer-on-Death Deed (for each property)

• Must include the exact legal description from DNR records
• Must be notarized and recorded in the correct recording district before death
• Must name both primary and alternate beneficiaries
• Cannot be revoked by your will — only by recording a new deed or revocation

POD/TOD Designations on Financial Accounts

• Bank accounts: Pay-on-Death beneficiary forms
• Brokerage accounts: Transfer-on-Death registration
• Retirement accounts (IRA, 401k): Beneficiary designation forms — these override your will

Vehicle/Vessel TOD Registration

• DMV title updated to show "TOD" beneficiary designation
• Applies to all vehicles, boats, snowmachines, and ATVs titled in your name

Alaska-Specific Documents

ANCSA Stock Will (Testamentary Disposition Form)

• Required for Alaska Native Corporation shareholders
• Obtained from your specific corporation's shareholder records department
• Must be notarized and filed directly with the corporation — not the court
• Without this, shares go through default intestate succession, potentially creating fractional share freezes

PFD Documentation Package

• Record of prior-year dividend receipt (required for estate claims)
• Designated personal representative aware of the March 31 filing deadline
• Death certificate + Letters Testamentary or Small Estate Affidavit ready for submission

Community Property Election (married couples)

• Written Alaska Community Property Agreement signed by both spouses, OR
• Assets transferred into an Alaska Community Property Trust
• Provides the double step-up in cost basis under IRC 1014(b)(6)
• Must be executed before the first spouse's death to take effect

Temporary Parental Delegation (parents of minors)

• Form PG-701: delegates parental powers for up to one year without court approval
• Names the caregiver authorized to make medical and school decisions
• Critical for medevac scenarios where both parents may be transported

Emergency Preparedness Layer

Medevac Membership Documentation

• Current membership card (LifeMed, Guardian Flight, or AirCare)
• Listed on advance directive so proxy can authorize transport

Document Location Record

• Where originals are stored (home safe, bank safe deposit box, attorney's office)
• Who has access (combination, key holder, authorized signer)
• Digital backup locations (encrypted cloud storage, trusted family member)

Out-of-State Contact Protocol

• If your personal representative lives outside Alaska, have they designated a resident agent?
• Do they know about the centralized DNR recording system (Anchorage/Fairbanks offices only)?
• Are they prepared for bond requirements that apply to non-resident personal representatives?

Review Triggers

Your estate plan isn't "done" — it needs updating when:

• You buy or sell real property
• You marry, divorce, or have a child
• Your named agents move, die, or become incapacitated
• Alaska law changes (check TOD deed and small estate thresholds periodically)
• You acquire or dispose of ANCSA shares
• Your family's Medicaid timeline shifts (five-year look-back for long-term care)

Getting Started

The Alaska Basic Estate Planning Kit provides this checklist as an interactive worksheet with filing instructions for each document — including which recording district to use, which corporation department to contact for your stock will, and the exact deadlines for PFD estate claims. It turns this list into an actionable project plan rather than an overwhelming to-do pile.

See more Alaska guides →