Blog Post

Simple Steps to Estate Planning

Lindsay Roundtree • June 14, 2016

Start planning your estate in 12 steps

Simple Steps to Estate Planning

Estate planning can be a difficult and stressful task. Those who are seeking help with their Muscatine estate planning will benefit greatly by contacting an estate planning lawyer in Muscatine to make this task more simple. To give you an overview of the process of estate planning, here is a couple of key things to know when you are creating an estate plan.

1.Create a Will

This gives you the ability to dictate the important things, such as who cares for your children (if they are minors) in the event of your passing and where your most beloved possessions go to.

2.Consider a Trust

Eliminate the difficulty of probate court for your living relatives by setting up a trust. Leave this task to an estate planning lawyer in Muscatine.

3.Make Health Care Decisions

In the even that you can no longer make decisions regarding your health care, make the decisions now so your wishes are respected when you can no longer advocate for yourself.

4.Develop a Financial Power of Attorney

A financial POA will be able to help you in the event that you can no longer manage your finances. This is an important step to take to protect your hard earned assets.

5.Protect the Property of Your Children

If you have minor children, it is important to assign a trusted adult to manage the property you leave to your children.

6.Get Beneficiary Forms Filed

Let an estate planning lawyer in Muscatine help you with this. This will help the beneficiary of any of your items skip the probate process, which can be extremely difficult.

7.Think About Life insurance

This is an important part of Muscatine estate planning. Life insurance will help your loved ones pay off your final debts and, hopefully, leave them some money left over to take care of their expenses in the event of your passing.

8.Get the Run Down on Estate Taxes

These depend on the amount of money you make, so consult with an attorney to see if you will owe estate taxes upon your death.

9.Cover Necessary Funeral Expenses

Life insurance can help you cover this, but it is helpful to have some money put aside in order to cover any funeral expenses.

10.Prepare Final Arrangements

This is important to make sure that your wishes are respected in regards to organ and body donation, cremation, burial, etc.

11.Protect Any Businesses

Make sure you have either a succession plan or buyout plan, depending on the type business you own.

12.Store Important Documents

Make sure your attorney or POA has access to all of your important documents.


As you can see, this is an expansive and exhausting list. Leave the difficult legalities to an estate planning lawyer in Muscatine to make life a little easier on yourself. In the event that you need help with Muscatine estate planning , there are attorneys who are skilled to help you in this area of law.

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