The current pace of our lives makes finding time to develop an Estate Plan more and more difficult. Please find below some moves you can make which are not complicated, or expensive, but which can improve your position, and let you sleep at night.

1. Create or Update Your Will or Revocable Trust
   

   These documents are the cornerstone of your Estate Plan. They insure that your assets will be distributed exactly as you would like. Failure to keep these documents current may result in disinheritance or financial hardship for loved ones who depend on you.
   

2. 
   Review Beneficiary Designations. When you established life insurance or retirement plans, you were asked to name beneficiaries of these accounts who will receive the assets upon your death. It is important to review these designations regularly to ensure that your assets pass to the appropriate loved ones.
   
3. Create or Update Your Health Care Proxy and Living Will You need a health care proxy to appoint your spouse, a trusted friend or family member to make medical decisions on your behalf in the event you are unable to make those decisions yourself. Your health care agent will work with your doctors and other health care providers to make sure you get the medical care which is best for you. A living will is a type of advance directive that gives you the opportunity to formalize your wishes as to prolonged health care in the event that your condition is terminal. NOTE: Living Wills give direction but are not legally binding
   
4. Create a Durable Power of Attorney. Regardless of the size of your estate or your family circumstances, you should have a durable power of attorney. You may appoint your spouse, a trusted family member or friend to handle all of your financial affairs on your behalf in the event you are not able to do so, yourself.
   
5. Establish Guardianships for Minor Children. Have you considered who would take care of your minor children in the event of the untimely passing of you and your spouse? If you do not finalize your wishes in your Will, a court will decide who will care for your children. Do not leave your children’s well-being in the hands of a court. Appoint a Guardian for you minor children in your Will.
   
6. Encourage Your Adult Children to Create an Estate Plan. Whether your son or daughter is going off to college or beginning a career, encourage your child to set up an Estate Plan. If your adult child requires medical attention, you have no legal right to their medical records, nor can you participate in health care decision, without a duly executed health care proxy.
   
7. Encourage Your Aging Parents to Create, or Update, Their Estate Plans. It becomes increasingly more difficult to discuss finances and health care decisions with your parents as they age. Encourage your parents to put an Estate Plans in place, or review their existing Estate Plans.