Estate Planning checklist

We all need to think about an Estate Planning checklist at some point -- like NOW!

You've accumulated savings and "stuff" over a lifetime - why not allow yourself to decide who gets what?

You can now learn lots about wills on line, even writing your own wills with a do it yourself will (for smaller estates), or hire an inheritance attorney or probate attorney to get the job done right.

Do It Yourself Wills are relatively easy online. There are fill in the blank formats for wills online.

Even if you feel you have no "estate", you don't have a home, IRA's and investments, you still have personal possessions that should go to whom you wish to receive them, right?

Wouldn't you prefer to choose who gets what, instead of someone else doing that job?

Many of your investments like IRA's, 401K's, 403B's, etc, have a named beneficiary. They automatically go to that person if you die. They are outside of a will, they supersede the will, and are automatically distributed.

Your home, car, savings and such are the "estate" that probably need, in the least, a will that you've documented what you want done at your death.

The FREE Estate Planning Resource Guide at the bottom of this page was written by the Michigan government... find one for your own state - OR - download it below and use the checklists and forms to get your estate in order. You shouldn't use the fill-in-the-blank will as you need one from your own State (but, do a quick Google search and find it now!)

Enter for your search either(1) Michigan Estate Planning (or whatever state you are from) - or - (2) Michigan Do It Yourself Wills. I think you'll find oodles of information from your own State government. Each State is different so you do need to look specifically at your own State.

Simple wills are easy to do online. If you are worried about it, do one, take it to an attorney to review it -- it will cost you lots less to have them review it, compared to having them use their will template and fill in the blanks for you.

Do you realize that an Attorney is specialized like doctors? You wouldn't use an orthopedic doctor for a heart attack and you shouldn't use a criminal attorney for your estate. Seriously, use Google or the Yellow pages for an Estate Attorney.. this is so important!

Some folks need a Trust... and you do need an attorney for more complex estates (but those folks aren't reading this... grin!) A Will instructs on what happens at your death (who gets what). With a Trust, it is more complex, requires an attorney, but it also allows you to say HOW your assets are distributed. Like you could say that your kids only get their share at a specific age, or whatever particular circumstances that you might dream up. They can get quite complex...