#estate planning attorney

A letter of instruction can make estate administration easier by giving an executor or family members practical information about your financial accounts, property, insurance, debts, digital assets, important documents, pets, and personal wishes. Unlike a will or trust, it is generally not intended to be legally binding or to transfer property. This guide explains what a letter of instruction is, how it differs from a will, what information to include, how to protect sensitive details, when to update it, and why it should always remain consistent with your formal estate-planning documents.

Beast

Sep 30, 2026·24 min

Digital assets can become complicated to manage after someone dies. Learn how estate planning can address cryptocurrency, digital wallets, social media, email, cloud storage, domain names, online businesses, digital photographs, intellectual property, and other online property. This guide explains RUFADAA, fiduciary access, passwords and private keys, digital asset inventories, online account settings, probate, estate taxes, digital executors, and common mistakes families should avoid when managing a digital estate.

Beast

Sep 25, 2026·23 min

Estate tax is a tax on the transfer of certain property after a person dies. Learn how the federal estate tax works, who may need to file Form 706, how the $15 million 2026 exclusion applies, what deductions and portability mean, and why state estate and inheritance taxes can also matter.

Beast

Sep 21, 2026·24 min

An estate plan is a collection of legal documents and arrangements designed to help manage a person's property, finances, health care decisions, and other affairs during incapacity and after death. A comprehensive plan may include a will, trust, financial power of attorney, advance health care directive, beneficiary designations, and guardianship provisions for minor children. Estate planning is not limited to wealthy individuals; people at many stages of life may benefit from making clear decisions about who should manage their affairs and who should receive their property. Because probate, trust, inheritance, guardianship, and estate-tax rules vary by state, an estate plan should be tailored to the individual's circumstances and kept up to date after major life changes. This guide explains the key components of an estate plan, common mistakes, how estate planning interacts with probate and taxes, and practical steps for getting started.

Beast

Sep 20, 2026·24 min

A beneficiary is a person or organization designated to receive money, property, or other benefits from an insurance policy, retirement account, trust, will, or financial account. Beneficiary designations can play an important role in estate planning because some assets may pass directly to named beneficiaries rather than through probate. However, beneficiary rights and tax consequences vary depending on the type of asset, the governing documents, and applicable law. This guide explains the different types of beneficiaries, their rights and responsibilities, how beneficiary designations work, and common mistakes such as failing to update beneficiaries after major life events or overlooking the effect of beneficiary forms on an estate plan.

Beast

Sep 19, 2026·23 min

A living trust is an estate-planning tool created during a person's lifetime to hold and manage property for designated beneficiaries. Many living trusts are revocable, allowing the creator to retain control while naming a successor trustee to manage the trust if they become incapacitated or die. Properly funded living trusts can also help certain assets pass outside probate. However, a living trust does not automatically eliminate taxes, protect assets from creditors, or replace every other estate-planning document. This guide explains what a living trust is, how it works, who controls it, how assets are transferred, the difference between revocable and irrevocable trusts, and what to consider before creating one.

Beast

Sep 19, 2026·21 min

What an estate planning attorney does, 2026 costs from simple wills to trust plans, DIY risks, the step by step process, and how to choose the right lawyer for your family.

Frankly

Sep 6, 2026·13 min