Journal of health and social behavior
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I use data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (n = 4,971) to evaluate the extent to which socioeconomic status affects three health-related (living will, durable power of attorney for health care, and discussions) and one financial (will) component of end-of-life planning. Net worth is positively associated with all four types of planning, after demographic, health, and psychological characteristics are controlled. ⋯ The results suggest that economically advantaged persons engage in end-of-life planning as a two-pronged strategy entailing financial and health-related preparations. Implications for health policy, practice, and theory are discussed.