Essential documents for your plan.

This document outlines how your assets will be distributed upon your death and allows you to name an executor to manage your estate. It is crucial for ensuring that your property is distributed according to your wishes and for naming guardians for minor children.

A living trust allows you to place assets in a trust during your lifetime, managed according to your instructions and distributed to beneficiaries after your death. It helps avoid probate, providing a faster, more private transfer of assets and can simplify the management of your estate if you become incapacitated.

A POA allows you to appoint someone to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated. This is critical for ensuring that your financial affairs are managed smoothly without the need for court intervention.

This document designates someone to make medical decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. It ensures that your medical preferences are respected and that your chosen representative can communicate with healthcare providers on your behalf.

A living will outlines your preferences for medical treatments and end-of-life care if you become unable to communicate. It helps guide your healthcare providers and loved ones in making decisions that align with your values and wishes.

Many financial accounts, such as retirement accounts and life insurance policies, allow you to name beneficiaries directly. These designations are important because they supersede instructions in a will, ensuring that the assets go directly to the intended beneficiaries without going through probate.

Though not a legally binding document, a letter of intent can provide guidance to your executor, trustees, or family about your wishes for your funeral, burial, or other personal matters. It can also include instructions for distributing sentimental personal items that may not be covered in other documents.

If you have minor children, this document specifies who should be their legal guardian if something happens to you. Including this designation in your will helps ensure that your children are cared for by the person you trust most.