Estate Planning Basics
Estate planning allows individuals to ensure that their final wishes regarding property and health care are honored, and that their loved ones are provided for in their absence. A person’s estate usually includes all real estate, bank accounts, insurance policies, investments, and personal property the person owns at death. In order to ensure that the property is distributed according to their wishes, many people create wills and trusts. This section provides a number of resources on estate planning and the laws governing it. You’ll find articles on how to create an estate plan, how probate works, what happens if someone dies without a will, and much more.
- What Is Estate Planning?
A broad look at estate planning. Learn about the types of property and assets that make up the estate, how an estate plan can help you, and how to get legal help with your estate plan.
- Estate Planning Tips: Find the Right Estate Plan for You
A collection of tips to consider when working on an estate plan. Learn how a will can help you if you’re single, living with a significant other, married, or have kids.
- Estate Planning Questionnaire
Your attorney will need to know a lot about your personal and financial life in order to prepare an estate plan that accurately reflects your goals. This form will help you organize that information.
- Ten Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid
There are a number of pitfalls involved in creating an estate plan. This article offers ten estate planning mistakes to avoid, including failing to update your will, not planning for disability, and more.
- Intestate Succession: If You Die Without an Estate Plan
When a person dies without a will, his or her property passes to heirs by “intestate succession.” Learn about what intestate succession entails, including how property generally passes under it.
- Estate Planning & Probate Dictionary
A glossary of terms commonly used in estate planning law. Learn the meanings of lesser-known terms like durable power of attorney, attorney-in-fact, inter vivos trust, intestacy, pour-over will, and fiduciary.
- Donate Your Body to Science
- Durable Financial Power of Attorney
- Estate Planning -- Keep Track of Passwords, Access Keys and PINs
- Estate Planning & Probate Dictionary
- Estate Planning Questionnaire
- Estate Planning Tips: Find the Right Estate Plan for You
- Funeral Payments: Prepayment Horrors
- Funeral Planning Guide FAQ
- Information You Need to Plan Your Estate
- Life Insurance Options
- Personal Retirement Accounts and Your Family
- Ten Common Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid
- Understanding Intestacy: If You Die Without an Estate Plan
- What is Estate Planning?
- What's the Difference Between Joint Tenants with Survivorship and Tenants in Common?