A basic estate plan includes a Last Will and Testament or a Trust and associated documents, an Estate Planning Letter, a Property Power of Attorney, a Healthcare Power of Attorney, a Living Will, an Affidavit Authorizing Burial or Cremation and Request to Nominate Guardian. These documents give you control over how you will spend your final days, describe how your property will be transferred upon your death, and ensure that your wishes will be carried out if you are unable to carry them out on your own.

Your estate planning attorney may recommend a Trust or a Will. A Trust is similar to a Will in that it specifies how your property will be transferred, but a Trust offers additional privacy and increased flexibility to accommodate more complex estate planning situations.