The Boring Review Checklist

Joseph Hosler

06 Mar 2026 — 1 min read

If you want a simple place to start, here’s a short checklist that many people can work through in about fifteen minutes.

Accounts & Ownership

☐ List every financial account (brokerage, retirement, bank, insurance, business interests)
☐ Confirm who legally owns each account
☐ Flag accounts that were opened years ago and never revisited
☐ Identify old employer retirement plans that may be orphaned

Beneficiaries

☐ Review beneficiaries on all retirement accounts
☐ Review beneficiaries on life insurance policies
☐ Review beneficiaries on annuities and TOD/POD accounts
☐ Confirm no ex-spouses or deceased individuals remain listed
☐ Confirm trust beneficiaries match your estate plan
☐ Confirm minors are not named directly unless intentional

Estate Plan Alignment

☐ Confirm wills and trusts reflect current family reality
☐ Confirm account titling aligns with estate documents
☐ Confirm powers of attorney and healthcare proxies are current

Tax Coordination

☐ Identify large embedded capital gains
☐ Identify upcoming required distributions
☐ Review charitable giving strategy if applicable
☐ Confirm tax planning reflects total assets, not just last year’s income

Life Changes (Last 12–24 Months)

☐ Marriage, divorce, birth, or death in the family
☐ Job change or business transition
☐ Inheritance received
☐ Major asset purchase or sale
☐ Move to a different state

Final Question

☐ If something happened tomorrow, would this paperwork carry out my intent?

Auour March Thoughts

Auour has been evolving the technology we use to communicate with clients and friends. Alongside those changes, we thought it was a good time to adjust the rhythm of our outreach. This note is the inaugural issue of the new format, which we hope will prove to be an improvement.

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