These resources are brought to you by the Cooperative Extension System and your Local Institution

Articles from our resource area experts.

Have a question? Try asking one of our Experts

Print

Prepare Your Estate Plan: Lesson Objectives

Last Updated: August 18, 2008 Related resource areas: Personal Finance


In this lesson you will:

  • Learn what is included in an estate plan
  • Gain a basic understanding of estate-planning tools:
  • Power of Attorney
  • Property Ownership
  • Wills
  • Probate
  • Estate Taxes/Gifts
  • Trusts
  • Receive suggestions for hiring and working with an attorney
  • Increase your knowledge by reviewing several case studies

Have you put off making plans to distribute your property when you die?

There are many financial and emotional reasons for having an estate plan. Just think about the suffering and expense family and loved ones could be spared if plans are made in advance. Now is the time to get started! If you already have a plan, this lesson will help you review or modify it, if necessary.

Older couple walking on a sidewalk under an umbrella



An AARP survey (2000) about the general use of estate-planning tools found that among Americans age 50 and older:
  • 60% had a will
  • 45% had a durable power of attorney
  • 23% had created a living trust
  • 36% had none of these legal documents
  • 17% had a will, durable power of attorney, and living trust




Next: Planning for Your Estate >>

previous




Lesson Contents

I. Introduction

a. Lesson Objectives

II. Estate Planning

III. Power of Attorney: Planning for Incapacity

IV. Property Transfer: Documents and Legal Arrangements

V. A Will: Who Needs One?

VI. The Probate Process

VII. Personal Representative: To Carry Out Your Wishes

VIII. Gifting and Tax Strategies

IX. A Trust: Who Needs One?

X. How to Hire and Work with an Attorney

XI. Learn More

Glossary

Case Studies and Resources

Print this Lesson

Disclaimer

Acknowledgments

Prepare Your Estate Plan belongs to a series called Legally Secure Your Financial Future. The series also includes information to help you organize important household papers and to communicate your health-care wishes.

More information

Financial Security: Legal Topics

Have a specific question? Try asking one of our Experts

Unlike most other resources on the web, we have experts from Universities around the country ready to answer your questions.

Comments

Subscribe to this page's comments

Post a comment about this topic

Please keep comments on topic. To ask a question, please use Ask an Expert. All comments are held for moderation. Comments that include profanity, personal attacks or other inappropriate material will not be posted to the site.

Did you find this page useful?

No one has rated this article yet. Why not be the first?

what is this?
not useful
very useful
 1  2  3  4  5

This resource area was created by the:

Financial Security for All

community

Copad_personal_finance

Resource Area Feeds

In This Resource Area

Resource Area Tags

beef cattle CoP corn cotton industry dairy cattle disasters diversity entrepreneurship financial security Financial Security: Children and Money Financial Security: Consumer Credit Financial Security: Consumer Education Financial Security: Estate Planning Financial Security: Financial Planning Process Financial Security: Health Finance Financial Security: Home Ownership Financial Security: Insurance Financial Security: Legal Topics Financial Security: Retirement Planning Financial Security: Saving and Investing Financial Security: Talking About Money fire ants glossary horses horticulture interpersonal/intergenerational communication Legally Secure Your Financial Future: Communicate parenting soybeans

Our Sponsors

Read more about our sponsors...