When it comes to estate planning, procrastinating is easy. The task of getting your house in order can seem daunting and the topic uncomfortable. In fact, while the majority of Americans believe that all adults should have an estate plan, only 44 percent have actually created one, according to a 2011 LexisNexis survey.
Unplanned estates may be left to wind their way through probate court, leaving state law to determine the disposition of your assets.
“The time to devise an estate plan is now, if you haven’t already,” says John Padberg, vice president of Life Event Services and Estate Planning for Wells Fargo Advisors. Many people equate estate plans with wills, he says, but a well-thought-out structure involves much more. There are many tools, such as living trusts and financial and health care powers of attorney, that can help trusted professionals and family members manage your affairs if you cannot.
Planning needn’t be stressful, and the results often confer the comfort given that comes from knowing your assets will be distributed in an orderly way. Padberg offers five steps to help you create an estate plan to accomplish that goal:
1. Work with an experienced estate planning attorney. It takes specialized expertise to create a plan that includes all the necessary elements and meets your specific needs. A solid estate plan will likely consist of several documents, which may include the following:
• A will, which states how individually-owned assets are to be distributed upon death.
• A living will, which communicates your wishes regarding life-prolonging medical treatments.
• Powers of attorney, which designate another individual to handle financial or health care matters if you are incapacitated.
• Revocable trusts, which can be useful in avoiding the probate process in states where probate is burdensome, and can be altered or canceled according to your wishes.
2. Assess your assets. Before drafting your estate plan, ask your financial advisor to prepare a financial net worth statement for you. This will give you a clear sense of what you are working with. Also, review your beneficiaries listed on critical documents such as life insurance policies and retirement plans. Beneficiary designations determine how those assets will be distributed, Padberg cautions, so you want the named beneficiaries to reflect — and not undermine — your intentions.
3. Define your goals. An estate plan is also your opportunity to direct how your wealth will be passed on to the next generation. “You want to think as much about how you want to pass your assets — outright to your heirs or distributed through a trust — as you do the amount that each person should get,” Padberg says. For instance, leaving a large sum to a child or young adult may create long-term issues if the child lacks the skills or maturity to manage such a windfall.
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