Estate
Your Legacy in Living Color
There are many ways to add color to your estate plan—ways that help paint a true-to-life picture of who you are within the standard planning canvas.
July 29, 2026
There are many ways to add color to your estate plan—ways that help paint a true-to-life picture of who you are within the standard planning canvas.
If you are facing a serious medical diagnosis, follow these tips on crucial documents that will enable you to take back control of your future, ensure that your wishes are honored, and prevent difficult decisions about finances, healthcare, and guardianship from falling to your loved ones during a crisis.
If you and your partner choose not to marry, you must have an estate plan tailored to your individual situation. Without an estate plan, your partner generally has no legal authority to make decisions for you if you become injured or incapacitated (unable to manage your own affairs) or to inherit from you when you pass away.
You love your children and want to ensure that they are always taken care of. However, when leaving money and property to minor children, even the best intentions can lead to big problems.
Have you just welcomed a baby to the family? Protecting your newborn goes beyond car seats and babyproofing. Ensure that your child is protected no matter what life brings by creating an estate plan.
While legal documents are the last thing you want to think about, creating a will and other estate planning tools is one of the most loving things you can do for your child.
From who can make decisions for you to whether you need an estate plan, common myths can stand between you and a secure future. Let’s debunk these widespread misconceptions and reveal four essential truths about effective estate planning.
Everyone needs a will, a trust, or both. These important tools ensure that your legacy will be carried out according to your wishes and allow you to provide for loved ones after your passing. A properly prepared trust can also help avoid probate.
Creating a trust to hold accounts and property can avoid the long, complicated probate process.
Fighting over provisions in your will or trust can derail your final wishes, rapidly deplete your financial legacy, and tear your loved ones apart. However, with proper planning, you can help your family avoid a potentially disastrous fight.