Yes. An estate plan is about more than money. It names who makes medical and money decisions if you can't, who raises your children, and who receives what you own. Most adults benefit from at least a basic plan: a will, a power of attorney, a health care directive, and up-to-date beneficiaries.

A will says who receives your property and who you would like to raise your minor children. It generally goes through probate, the court process for settling an estate, which can take time and becomes public record. A trust can let assets pass outside of probate and gives you more control over when and how your heirs receive them. Your attorney decides which documents fit your situation, and we make sure your accounts are set up to match.

Your attorney drafts the legal documents. Nuno, a Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA), makes sure the financial side matches them: account titles, beneficiaries, retirement accounts, insurance, and how assets will reach your family. He works with your attorney from the start, or can refer you to one, and explains the plan in plain language.

State law decides who inherits, and that may not match your wishes. A court may decide who raises your minor children. Your family may also face delays, added costs, and stress while the estate goes through probate.

Retirement accounts, life insurance, and many bank accounts pass directly to the person named on the form, no matter what your will says. If a form still names an ex-spouse or a parent who has passed away, your plan may not work the way you intended. We review every designation with you as part of your plan.

Most plans start with four pieces. A will names who receives your property and who you would like to raise your minor children. A financial power of attorney names someone to handle money matters if you can't. A health care directive names someone to make medical decisions for you and records your wishes. And up-to-date beneficiary designations on your retirement accounts and life insurance tie it all together. Depending on your situation, your attorney may also recommend a trust.

You have a few options, and the right one depends on their ages and how much control you want. Naming a minor child directly as a beneficiary can mean a court has to appoint someone to manage the money until they are adults. A trust, or a custodial account set up under your state's rules, lets you choose who manages the money and when your children or grandchildren receive it. We work with your attorney to set this up and make sure your accounts are named to match.