Make a Will
Everyone over the age of 18 should have a will. If you have assets and/or children, you are well advised to seek the counsel and help of an attorney while creating your will.
A will allows you to determine what happens to your money and possessions after you die, and who becomes the guardian of your minor children. Otherwise, state laws and courts make those decisions for you.
This document provides a list of instructions for your survivors to follow. For example, it should make your funeral wishes clear (or provide the details of your preplanned funeral arrangements), people to contact, and spell out where your will and other key papers can be found. It should also provide information about your financial accounts and activities.
One of the most daunting tasks confronting your survivors will be to wrap up your financial dealings. You can make this much easier on them by providing detailed information about your finances.
Your personal information can prove invaluable to your loved ones as they wrap up your estate.
This document appoints someone to make personal, legal, and financial decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.
This document gives instructions about your own health care and/or names someone else to make health care decisions for you in the event you become incapacitated. Included in your Advanced Health Care Directives are your wishes about organ donation and the selection of your primary physician.
A trust is a legal entity that holds property for the benefit of both you and your beneficiaries. Trusts have been around since the Roman era and are currently one of the most widely used tools to avoid probate and estate taxes.
Parents of minor children often leave gaps in protecting their kids without even realizing it. A kids protection plan can ensure your children are always taken care of by whom you want in the way you want, no matter what.
Business owners can predetermine what will happen to assets through legal agreements and life insurance on business partners.
Building, preserving, and passing on your family legacy is one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones.