A complete guide to

creating your Estate Plan.

You’re starting to think about your Estate Plan, that’s great news! Planning ahead will save you lots of
stress and worry later, trust us. Although it might feel like an overwhelming or even premature endeavor,
this is an important step in securing your legacy and making sure your family and future are covered.

We’ve made the process of completing your Estate Plan easy. And, if you need help, our top-rated member
support is here to help guide you every step of the way.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• What an Estate Plan includes (page 2)
• Information that will be needed to complete an Estate Plan (pages 3-9)
• Other important estate planning terminology and definitions (pages 10-11)

Getting started is easy!

If you wish, print out the next pages so that you (and your partner, if applicable) can take notes on who
you’ll want to fill certain roles in your Estate Plan. Use our handy definitions on pages 10-11 if you need a
more detailed description of what each role is responsible for in your Estate Plan. Note, the persons you
designate to fill the following positions can be different people OR the same people. And remember, you can
update your Estate Plan at any time.

What you WILL need: What you WON’T need:

You/Your spouse’s full legal names Account numbers

You/Your spouse’s birthdays Social security numbers

Your child(ren)’s full legal name(s) Real estate titles

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What does an Estate Plan cover?
Find out which plan is right for your unique life situation.

Trust Will Guardian

Clients can avoid probate A plan for who will look after For parents with minor
with a complete plan for the your client’s children and what children who aren’t ready to
protection and transfer of their should happen to their assets create a complete Will.
most important assets. if something happens.
STARTING AT $39
STARTING AT $599 STARTING AT $159
Benefits

Nominate child guardians

Nominate pet guardians

Decide who will handle your affairs

Leave specific gifts

Exclude people from your property

Specify final arrangements

Note special requests

List health care wishes

Designate health care agents

Grant access to medical records

Add conditions to distributions

Avoid probate court

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What you need to create and complete an Estate Plan
Make note of who you will have fill the following roles in your Estate Plan.

Primary Guardian
Guardians
You have the right to determine who should become
guardian of any minor children and any incapacitated
individuals. Please understand that being guardian is not Backup Guardian
the same as being trustee. The guardian is the person
that watches out for the personal needs of the child or
incapacitated person. The guardian will also be involved with
any medical or other needs as they may arise until the child Notes
has reached the age of 18.

Rules that govern the distribution of a deceased’s estate

where the deceased has died interstate (without having
made a valid Will disposing of their property.)

IF multiple children, and desirable, you can designate

unique guardians per child.

Primary Executor or Trustee

If Will: Executors
If Trust: Trustee
An executor is the person or company appointed to
Backup Executor or Trustee
administer your estate in according to your Will including the
settlement of all debts and taxes.

A trustee is the person or company appointed to hold the

Notes
trust property and manage the Trust funds according to the
terms of the Trust. The trustee’s responsibility is to garner
the assets that have been indicated either through the Will
or outside of probate and the assets that are distributed as a
result of the estate. The activity of the trustee will terminate
at the time that the Trust has been indicated to terminate.

If creating a separate property Estate Plan, each partner in

a relationship, if desired, can designate their own trustee or
executor.

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 Primary Medical Power of Attorney
Medical Power of Attorney
The Advanced Medical Directive is state specific —it may
include both the Living Will as well as the appointment of an
agent to make medical decisions for you when you are unable Backup Medical Power of Attorney
to do so yourself. This person will be the one to process the
Living Will and will follow your instructions accordingly. The
medical power of attorney will also speak on your behalf if
medical treatment is required to improve your quality of life. Notes

Each partner in a relationship, if desired, can designate their

own medical power of attorney.

Primary Financial Power of Attorney

Financial Power of Attorney
The financial power of attorney is designated as a “attorney
in fact” to handle your financial and legal affairs.
Backup Financial Power of Attorney
Each partner in a relationship, if desired, can designate their
own financial power of attorney.

Notes

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Asset Distribution
Make decisions regarding the distribution of your financial and non-financial assets

Name Percentage
How would you like your assets to
be distributed—what percentage
and to whom?

Notes

Name Age
If you have kids and you’ve left
a portion of your estate to them,
at what ages would you want
distributions to be made?

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 Name Gift
What other gifts would you like to
leave from your estate?
This could be monetary sums or a physical gift/property.

Organization Amount or %
Are there any charities you would
like to support?

Financial Institutions
Which financial institutions do you
have accounts with?
Listing your financial accounts allows your executors to
know where your assets are housed, assuring greater ease in
executing your Estate Plan. You don’t need to list any account
numbers.

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 Address(es)
What are the addresses of your
owned real estate?

Name(s) of business(es)
What are your business interests
(LLC, C-corp, shares, etc)?

Yes No
Have you reviewed and updated the
beneficiary information for financial
accounts (e.g., insurance policies
and retirement accounts)?
Accounts that have beneficiaries assigned to them are not
subject to the beneficiaries listed in your estate plan. To
assure your accounts go where you wish, make sure the
beneficiaries listed on the account are up to date.

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End of Life Considerations
Make decisions regarding your final arrangement wishes, medical preferences, and end of life care.

Me Partner Receive care in all cases.

Declaration of Desire for Receive care in all cases without
Natural Death considering benefits or burdens, the
details of your condition, or the expenses
of treatment.
The type of medical care you would like to receive if you are
incapable of making decisions due to a medical condition.

Me Partner Receive care if benefits outweigh

burdens.
Receive care that will improve your
condition. Benefits and burdens will be
determined by your Health Care Agent
and medical provider.

Me Partner Receive care only if it will improve my

condition.
Receive care that will improve your
condition, but not care or life support that
will only delay death without improving
your condition.

Me Partner
Organ Donation
Yes, donate.

Me Partner

No, do not donate.

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 Plans for your body
What would you like to happen with
your body? What sort of memorial/
funeral do you want to have?

Plans for your memorial/funeral

Notes
What are your preferences for
medical care and instructions to
allow or reject life support?

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Important Terminology & Definitions
Find detailed descriptions of the documents and roles in your Estate Plan.

Advanced Medical Directive Guardian(s)

This document is the equivalent of a “Living Will” and is a statement You have the right to determine who should become guardian of any
of the healthcare decisions that you would make when you are no minor children and any incapacitated individuals. Please understand
longer able to do so yourself. If you are competent to make end of life that being a guardian is not the same as being a trustee. The guardian
decisions, then what you say will be taken under consideration. It is is the person that watches out for the personal needs of the child or
only after you are no longer able to speak for yourself that the Living incapacitated person. The guardian will also be involved with any
Will will come into effect. medical or other needs as they may arise until the child has reached
the age of 18. Rules that govern the distribution of a deceased’s
estate where the deceased has died intestate (without having made
Beneficiary(ies) a valid Will disposing of their property).
A person, persons or organization (for example, a charity) designated
to receive a benefit from a benefactor. Benefits may be life insurance
HIPAA Authorization
proceeds, retirement account funds, assets detailed in Will, etc.
Authorizes trusted individuals to receive your protected health
information for specified purposes.
Durable Power of Attorney (POA)
A power (financial or medical) granted by a person (‘the donor’) to
Intestacy
another (‘the attorney’) giving the attorney authority to act on the
donor’s behalf. Power has effect when the donor loses his or her Person having died without making a valid Will.
mental capacity. The power ceases when the person dies.

Last Will & Testament (Pour Over Will)

Estate Your final wishes for your dependents and arrangements, with
Assets owned by the deceased at the date of his or her death. specific references to the details outlined in your Trust.

Executor Living Will

The person(s)/company appointed by the deceased under his or her Also known as an “advance directive”, a living will is intended to
Will to administer their estate in accordance with its terms including allow a person to specify the nature and extent (including refusal)
the settlement of all debts and taxes. of medical treatment they receive should they become incapable of
doing so in the future.

Financial Power of Attorney

The Financial Power of Attorney is a separate document where you
are designating an “attorney in fact” to handle your financial and
legal affairs.

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Important Terminology & Definitions
Find detailed descriptions of the documents and roles in your Estate Plan.

Medical Power of Attorney Schedule of Assets

The Advanced Medical Directive is state specific —it may include A listing of assets that you hold in the Trust are subject to the
both the Living Will as well as the appointment of an agent to make provisions of the Trust. This can be easily updated as you add or
medical decisions for you when you are unable to do so yourself. remove Trust assets.
This person will be the one to process the Living Will and will follow
your instructions accordingly. The medical power of attorney will
also speak on your behalf if medical treatment is required to improve Trust
your quality of life. A written arrangement containing the terms upon which property is
held and managed for the benefit of the persons named therein.

Personal Representative
Depending on your state of residence, the “executor” may be called Trustee(s)
a personal representative (PR). The job of the executor or PR is to The person(s)/company appointed by deed to hold the trust
collect and evaluate the decedent’s assets, pay any taxes, reimburse property and manage the trust funds in accordance with the terms
for funeral expenses and other priorities as assigned by your state of the trust. While the guardian is the supervisor of the child or
of residence. Next would be determining and paying any legally incapacitated person, the trustee’s responsibility is to garner the
enforceable debts and, at the end of the time allowed under the assets that have been indicated either through the Will or outside of
code, make the final distribution. probate and the assets that are distributed as a result of the estate.
The activity of the trustee will terminate at the time that the Trust
has been indicated to terminate. Please understand that the trustee
Power of Attorney appointed under the Will is different from the person appointed
Assign someone (an agent) to manage your personal and business under the financial power of attorney.
responsibilities if you are away or incapacitated.

Will
Revocable Living Trust A written document detailing the terms on how a person’s estate
The central hub of your estate plan with provisions for the should be managed and distributed after his or her death.
management, control, and distribution of your assets during life and
after death.

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