Estate Planning

Estate planning helps protect everything you have worked hard for. It also keeps your loved ones safe from stress when something happens. Still, many people avoid making an estate plan. This is true even for those with real estate, savings, or personal property. At first glance, it may seem like a legal task that can wait. But putting it off can cause problems for families and investments later. In This Article: Estate Planning: A Necessary but Often Overlooked Process What Is Estate Planning and Why It Matters Defining Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney Objectives of an Effective Estate Plan Common Psychological Barriers to Estate Planning The Role of Mortality Salience in Decision Avoidance Emotional Discomfort and Procrastination Reason 1: Discomfort with Discussing Death and Incapacitation Why Confronting Mortality Is Difficult How This Affects Planning Behavior Reason 2: Misunderstanding the Purpose and Applicability of Estate Planning Perception That Estate Planning