What Should Be in a Therapist's Professional Will? A Complete Checklist

You know you need a professional will. Maybe you've been putting it off because it feels overwhelming, or maybe you've started one and aren't sure if it's actually complete. Either way, you're in the right place.

A professional will is different from a personal will. It's not about who inherits your belongings; it's about who takes care of your clients, your records, and your practice if you can't. A good one is thorough enough to guide someone else through closing your practice with the same care you would have given it yourself.

Here's everything yours should include.

1. Your Designated Professional Executor

This is the person or organization who will carry out your plan if you become incapacitated or die. They don't need to be a therapist, but they do need to understand the ethical and clinical sensitivities involved in handling client records and communications.

Your will should clearly name:

• Who your professional executor is

• Their contact information

• A backup executor in case your first choice is unavailable

2. Client Notification Instructions

Your clients need to know what happened and what to do next. Your professional will should specify:

• How clients should be contacted (phone, email, mail)

• What the notification message should say

• A timeline for when notification should happen

• What is okay to tell your clients and what you’d rather be kept private

This is one of the most emotionally significant parts of the process, so the more guidance you leave, the easier it is for your executor to handle it with care.

3. A Detailed Plan for Client Records

Every state has specific requirements for retaining client records after a practice closes, which is either in addition to or a copy of the federal requirements. Your will should outline:

• Where records are stored (physical location or EHR system)

• Login credentials or access instructions for your executor

• How long records must be retained

• How clients can request copies of their records

4. Referral Information

Clients in active treatment will need somewhere to go. Include:

• A list of trusted colleagues or practices for referrals

• Specializations or client populations each referral source works with

• Instructions for warm hand-offs for higher-acuity clients

5. Financial and Business Information

Your executor will likely need to handle financial loose ends. This section should include:

• Outstanding client invoices or billing information

• Insurance panel contracts that need to be terminated

• Business bank account information (only what's needed for closure tasks)

• Vendor or subscription services to cancel (EHR, scheduling software, website hosting, etc.)

6. Licensing Board and Insurance Notifications

Most licensing boards require notification when a practice closes due to death or incapacitation. Include:

• Your state licensing board's contact information and notification requirements

• Your malpractice insurance carrier's contact information

• Any other regulatory bodies relevant to your practice

7. Supervision and Training Responsibilities

If you supervise trainees, associates, or students, your will needs a plan for them too:

• Contact information for anyone you supervise

• Instructions for how they should secure new supervision

• Any documentation they'll need from you to continue their licensure path

• Up to date supervision documentation and signed hour logs

8. Website, Email, and Social Media Instructions

Your online presence needs closure too. Specify:

• A closure statement to post on your website and social media

• How long accounts should remain active before being closed

• Where your email should forward so clients can still reach someone

9. Personal Touches and Final Wishes

This part is optional, but many therapists find it meaningful to include:

• A personal message to be shared with clients

• Acknowledgment of specific relationships or cases that mattered to you

• Instructions for how you'd like your work to be remembered professionally

• Notes of gratitude for colleagues and your referral network

You Don't Have to Build This From Scratch

Creating a professional will from a blank page is daunting — which is exactly why we built the Pause or Close Blueprint, a free, guided tool that walks you through every item on this checklist so nothing gets missed.

Download the free Pause or Close Blueprint →

If you'd rather have support walking through it with someone, schedule a free consultation and we'll help you build a complete, ethical plan together.