What Estate Planning Documents Do I Need?

You can take the assessment cold, but it helps to have a rough sense of who you would name to manage finances, make medical decisions, and (if you have young children) raise them; a rough picture of what you own (home, accounts, retirement, life insurance, any business interest); your wishes for who should inherit; and the current beneficiaries on retirement accounts and life insurance, since those pass outside a will.

Most adults should start with a will, a durable financial power of attorney, and a healthcare directive or healthcare power of attorney. Exact document names and signing rules vary by state.

A will is foundational, but a trust may be worth adding if you own real estate in multiple states, want more privacy, want to reduce probate friction, or need more control over how beneficiaries receive money.

A healthcare directive typically addresses treatment wishes or medical decision-making authority. A durable power of attorney usually addresses financial authority. Some states combine medical documents or use different naming conventions.

Review after major life events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, significant asset changes, or a move to a new state. Even without a major change, a periodic review every few years is a reasonable practice.

Not every document requires attorney drafting, but legal review becomes more important when trusts, blended families, business interests, tax planning, or special-needs concerns are involved.