Estate Planning Checklist

The five essentials are a will, a durable financial power of attorney, an advance healthcare directive (living will plus healthcare power of attorney), beneficiary designations, and for many people a revocable living trust. Together these cover your finances and healthcare during incapacity and after death. Keep them all current.

Review your estate plan every three to five years and after any major life event — marriage, divorce, a birth, a death, a serious diagnosis, a large change in assets, or a move to a new state. Laws and relationships change, so an outdated plan can fail to reflect your wishes.

Not everyone does. A trust helps avoid probate, plan for incapacity, and manage complex or multi-state assets, but it costs more and requires funding. Smaller, simpler estates may be well served by a will plus beneficiary designations. Match your plan to your assets, goals, and state's probate process.

Store originals somewhere safe but accessible to those who'll need them — not locked in a safe-deposit box your family can't open. Tell your executor and agents where the documents are. Keep copies with your attorney or trusted family, and ensure healthcare directives are easy to reach in an emergency.

You can create basic documents using reputable online tools, and for simple estates this may be enough. But errors in signing, witnessing, or funding a trust can undermine the plan. For larger or complex estates, blended families, or tax concerns, professional help reduces the risk of costly mistakes.