{"id":3186,"date":"2026-03-26T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/?p=3186"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:27:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T16:27:35","slug":"complete-estate-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Every document you need for a complete estate plan."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"Every Document You Need for a Complete Estate Plan\",\"description\":\"Complete guide to estate planning documents: Last Will and Testament, Financial Power of Attorney, Living Will, funeral wishes, and asset inventory. What each does, why you need it, and where to get it.\",\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Tim Hewson\",\"jobTitle\":\"President and CEO\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\"},\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"USLegalWills.com\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-10-29\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-26\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/\",\"speakable\":{\"@type\":\"SpeakableSpecification\",\"cssSelector\":[\".tldr-box\",\".entry-content h2\"]}}<\/script>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What documents do I need for a complete estate plan?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A complete estate plan requires five documents: a Last Will and Testament, a Financial Power of Attorney, a Living Will (Healthcare Power of Attorney and Advance Directives), documented funeral wishes, and an inventory of your assets. All can be prepared at USLegalWills.com for about $150 total.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What is the difference between a Will and a complete estate plan?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A Will handles asset distribution and key appointments after death. A complete estate plan also covers incapacity (Financial Power of Attorney and Living Will), funeral preferences, and asset documentation for your Executor. A Will is one part of the larger plan.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Do I need a Revocable Living Trust?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Not necessarily. A Revocable Living Trust reduces probate fees by moving assets outside your estate. However, probate fees in most states are not prohibitive, and the cost and time to set up the trust often outweighs the savings. It generally requires legal expertise and is not essential for most estate plans.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How much does a complete estate plan cost?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"At USLegalWills.com, a complete estate plan costs about $150: Will ($49.95), Financial Power of Attorney ($29.95), Living Will ($19.95), funeral wishes ($19.95), and LifeLocker asset inventory ($29.95). A spouse receives a 40% discount. The entire process takes about one hour.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What happens if I die without a Will?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Without a Will, your assets are distributed according to state intestacy laws, which rarely match your wishes. No one is appointed to manage your estate without court proceedings. If you have minor children, a judge appoints guardians without your input. The estate can be consumed by legal fees.\"}}]}<\/script>\n<article><section><p style=\"color:#555; font-size:0.9em;\">Originally published: October 29, 2020 | Last updated: March 26, 2026<\/p><div class=\"tldr-box\" style=\"background:#e8f4f8; border-left:4px solid #0077b6; padding:20px; margin:20px 0; border-radius:4px;\"><strong>TL;DR:<\/strong> A complete estate plan requires five documents: (1) a Last Will and Testament, (2) a Financial Power of Attorney, (3) a Living Will with Healthcare Proxy and Advance Directives, (4) documented funeral wishes, and (5) an inventory of assets. You do not typically need a Revocable Living Trust. Users can create all five documents through USLegalWills.com by paying approximately $150 which takes about one hour to complete. A spouse receives a 40% discount.<\/div><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"2198\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=2198\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"861,556\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;32051081 - keyboard with hot key for estate planning&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;marigranula\/123RF&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;32051081 - keyboard with hot key for estate planning&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Complete estate plan&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"861\" height=\"556\" data-attachment-id=\"2198\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=2198\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"861,556\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;32051081 - keyboard with hot key for estate planning&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;marigranula\/123RF&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;32051081 - keyboard with hot key for estate planning&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Complete estate plan&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard-300x194.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard.jpg\" alt=\"Complete estate plan\" class=\"wp-image-2198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard.jpg 861w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard-768x496.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Estate-planning-key-on-keyboard-770x497.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 861px) 100vw, 861px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">A complete estate plan involves more than just a Will<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>You need to create your Last Will and Testament as your first action to defend your family members who matter to you. The system lets you establish vital appointments while you state how your property should be divided. The document represents only one element which forms the complete estate plan. USLegalWills.com provides a single platform which lets users create all their necessary documents.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\r\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\r\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27c4c7cf227\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a27c4c7cf227\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#What_Documents_Make_Up_a_Complete_Estate_Plan\" >What Documents Make Up a Complete Estate Plan?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#What_Is_a_Last_Will_and_Testament\" >What Is a Last Will and Testament?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#What_Is_a_Financial_Power_of_Attorney\" >What Is a Financial Power of Attorney?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#What_Is_a_Living_Will\" >What Is a Living Will?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#What_Are_Your_Funeral_Wishes\" >What Are Your Funeral Wishes?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#Why_Do_You_Need_an_Inventory_of_Your_Assets\" >Why Do You Need an Inventory of Your Assets?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#Do_You_Need_a_Revocable_Living_Trust\" >Do You Need a Revocable Living Trust?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/#How_Do_You_Create_Your_Complete_Estate_Plan\" >How Do You Create Your Complete Estate Plan?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\r\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Documents_Make_Up_a_Complete_Estate_Plan\"><\/span>What Documents Make Up a Complete Estate Plan?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><table style=\"width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; margin:20px 0;\"><thead><tr style=\"background:#0077b6; color:white;\"><th style=\"padding:12px; text-align:left;\">Document<\/th><th style=\"padding:12px; text-align:left;\">Purpose<\/th><th style=\"padding:12px; text-align:left;\">When It Takes Effect<\/th><th style=\"padding:12px; text-align:left;\">Cost at USLegalWills.com<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;\"><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Last Will and Testament<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Asset distribution and key appointments<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">After death<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">$49.95<\/td><\/tr><tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; background:#f9f9f9;\"><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Financial Power of Attorney<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Names someone to handle finances if incapacitated<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Upon incapacity<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">$29.95<\/td><\/tr><tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ddd;\"><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Living Will<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Healthcare decisions and advance directives<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Upon incapacity<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">$19.95<\/td><\/tr><tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid #ddd; background:#f9f9f9;\"><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Funeral Wishes<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Burial, ceremony, and obituary preferences<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">After death<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Free<\/td><\/tr><tr><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Asset Inventory (LifeLocker)<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">Complete record of all assets for Executor<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">After death or incapacity<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px;\">$29.95<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Last_Will_and_Testament\"><\/span>What Is a Last Will and Testament?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3256\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/charity-word-cloud-with-magnifying-glass\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"799,599\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Charity word cloud with magnifying glass, business concept 3D illustration&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Charity word cloud with magnifying glass&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Charity word cloud with magnifying glass\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Charity word cloud with magnifying glass, business concept 3D illustration&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"799\" height=\"599\" data-attachment-id=\"3256\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/charity-word-cloud-with-magnifying-glass\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"799,599\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Charity word cloud with magnifying glass, business concept 3D illustration&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Charity word cloud with magnifying glass&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Charity word cloud with magnifying glass\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Charity word cloud with magnifying glass, business concept 3D illustration&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s.jpg 799w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/63611152_s-770x577.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">A Will serves two important functions: making key appointments and distributing your assets<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>People create Last Will and Testament documents to fulfill two essential purposes through their legal documents. First, it makes key appointments &#8211; naming an Executor to carry out instructions and a guardian for minor children . Second, it describes the distribution of your assets through specific bequests, percentage shares, or equal divisions.<\/p><p>The Executor you choose needs to find and protect your assets while also managing estate operations which include tax responsibilities and debt payments and funeral costs and asset distribution to your beneficiaries.<\/p><h3>What Happens If You Don&#8217;t Have a Will?<\/h3><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3109\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/write-your-own-will-10-reasons-why-it-just-makes-sense\/young-family-happy-on-a-computer\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"5760,3840\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark III&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431264391&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;85&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;160&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;credit: 123rf&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-1024x683.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"3109\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/write-your-own-will-10-reasons-why-it-just-makes-sense\/young-family-happy-on-a-computer\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"5760,3840\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark III&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431264391&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;85&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;160&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;credit: 123rf&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-1024x683.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Naming guardians for children\" class=\"wp-image-3109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Young-family-happy-on-a-computer-770x513.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">Without a Will, courts determine who manages your estate and raises your children<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Death without a Will creates major problems for the people who survive you.<\/p><ul><li>Your assets become unprotected because there is no person who takes responsibility for them and this situation could lead to family disputes about who should control these assets.<\/li><li>The court must first appoint an estate administrator through its slow judicial process before it can begin its operations.<\/li><li>Guardians for children under age 18 receive court appointments through judges who make decisions based on restricted details.<\/li><li>Your estate receives distribution through state intestacy laws which follow their own rules instead of your personal desires.<\/li><\/ul><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Aretha_Franklin_1968-870x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Aretha Franklin\" class=\"wp-image-3071\" width=\"435\" height=\"512\"\/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">Dying without a proper Will means missed opportunities to leave a meaningful legacy<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Dying without a Will creates two main problems which include the practical issues and the lost chance to leave a meaningful impact through charitable donations and educational funding and family heritage preservation. An estate without a plan will have its assets eaten up by court expenses before the law determines how to share them.<\/p><h3>Where Can You Get a Will?<\/h3><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3164\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/updating-your-will\/distribution-of-estate\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1355,661\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"distribution of estate\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-1024x500.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"500\" data-attachment-id=\"3164\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/updating-your-will\/distribution-of-estate\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1355,661\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"distribution of estate\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-300x146.jpeg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-1024x500.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-1024x500.jpeg\" alt=\"Will writing as part of a complete estate plan.\" class=\"wp-image-3164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-1024x500.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-300x146.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-768x375.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate-770x376.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/distribution-of-estate.jpeg 1355w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">Online Will services guide you through the distribution of your estate<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Three approaches exist:<\/p><ol><li>The process of writing your own document while using a DIY kit provides a free option yet it produces documents which courts might not recognize as valid.<\/li><li>The attorney who specializes in estate planning handles complex estates but charges between $500 and $1,000 for multiple visits to their office.<\/li><li>The Online Will writing service provides users with a professional document for $35 to $100 which they can complete in 20 minutes while following exact wording from lawyer-prepared Wills.<\/li><\/ol><p>USLegalWills.com charges $49.95 for a Will which lets you create pet trusts and lifetime interest trusts and charitable bequests and also includes non-US asset arrangements. For more on pricing, see our article on how much a Will costs .<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Financial_Power_of_Attorney\"><\/span>What Is a Financial Power of Attorney?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"2003\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/youve-written-your-power-of-attorney\/power-of-attorney-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"700,467\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"power-of-attorney\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" data-attachment-id=\"2003\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/youve-written-your-power-of-attorney\/power-of-attorney-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"700,467\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"power-of-attorney\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1-300x200.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1.jpg\" alt=\"Power of Attorney in a complete estate plan\" class=\"wp-image-2003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/power-of-attorney-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">A Financial Power of Attorney protects you if you lose the capacity to manage your own affairs<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/power-of-attorney-its-written-but-is-that-enough\/\">Financial Power of Attorney<\/a> (PoA) names someone to handle your financial affairs. Key types include:<\/p><ul><li>The Specific PoA allows you to authorize someone for a single business deal such as when you need them to sell your car during your time abroad.<\/li><li><strong>General PoA<\/strong>  &#8211;  covers all financial matters on your behalf<\/li><li><strong>Springing\/Enduring PoA<\/strong>  &#8211;  comes into effect only upon incapacity, as determined by two attending physicians<\/li><\/ul><p>You need to obtain a general enduring (springing) Financial PoA for your estate planning purposes. You must have mental competence when creating this document.<\/p><h3>What Happens Without a Financial PoA?<\/h3><p>Without this document, if you lose capacity:<\/p><ul><li>The elderly population faces two major risks because they become more likely to experience fraud and coercion.<\/li><li>The healthcare costs which include nursing home expenses become unmanageable when legitimate bills remain unpaid.<\/li><li>Your financial assets remain unprotected because no person possesses legal authority to protect them.<\/li><li>The court needs family members to submit petitions for authority which results in expensive and lengthy processes.<\/li><\/ul><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3201\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/power-of-attorney-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney.png\" data-orig-size=\"1603,919\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Power-of-Attorney\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-1024x587.png\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"587\" data-attachment-id=\"3201\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/power-of-attorney-3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney.png\" data-orig-size=\"1603,919\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Power-of-Attorney\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-300x172.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-1024x587.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-1024x587.png\" alt=\"Financial Power of attorney\" class=\"wp-image-3201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-1024x587.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-300x172.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-768x440.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-1536x881.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney-770x441.png 770w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Power-of-Attorney.png 1603w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">The Power of Attorney service at USLegalWills.com costs $29.95<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The Financial PoA at USLegalWills.com costs $29.95. State laws vary significantly  &#8211;  for example, in Florida since 2011 you cannot create a springing financial PoA. Make sure any template you use is state-specific and up to date.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Living_Will\"><\/span>What Is a Living Will?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3066\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/last-will-and-testament\/12835175-closeup-of-a-living-will-document-and-pen\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"3008,2000\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;12835175 - closeup of a living will document and pen&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;zimmytws\/123RF&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;12835175 - closeup of a living will document and pen&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"12835175 &amp;#8211; closeup of a living will document and pen\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;12835175 &amp;#8211; closeup of a living will document and pen&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-1024x681.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" data-attachment-id=\"3066\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/last-will-and-testament\/12835175-closeup-of-a-living-will-document-and-pen\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"3008,2000\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;12835175 - closeup of a living will document and pen&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;zimmytws\/123RF&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;12835175 - closeup of a living will document and pen&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"12835175 &amp;#8211; closeup of a living will document and pen\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;12835175 &amp;#8211; closeup of a living will document and pen&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-300x199.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-1024x681.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"Living Will declaration\" class=\"wp-image-3066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Living-Will-770x512.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">A Living Will covers medical treatment decisions when you cannot communicate<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>A Living Will consists of two distinct documents which function independently:<\/p><ol><li><strong>Healthcare Power of Attorney (Healthcare Proxy)<\/strong>  &#8211;  names a single person with decision-making powers when you cannot communicate and physicians need to make treatment decisions<\/li><li><strong>Advance Directives<\/strong>  &#8211;  your expressed wishes for treatment in an irreversible terminal condition: resuscitation, life support, tube feeding, and pain medication<\/li><\/ol><p>Family members need to make these tough decisions which break their hearts. Your wishes documentation creates a wonderful present which frees others from the need to guess what you would have wanted.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3207\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/uslivingwill\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1598,887\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"USLivingWill\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-1024x568.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"568\" data-attachment-id=\"3207\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/uslivingwill\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1598,887\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"USLivingWill\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-300x167.jpeg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-1024x568.jpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-1024x568.jpeg\" alt=\"Living Will\" class=\"wp-image-3207\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-1024x568.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-300x167.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-768x426.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-1536x853.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill-770x427.jpeg 770w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/USLivingWill.jpeg 1598w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">The Living Will service at USLegalWills.com takes about 10 minutes and costs $19.95<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>USLegalWills.com offers the Living Will service for $19.95 which lets users finish their documents within ten minutes.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_Your_Funeral_Wishes\"><\/span>What Are Your Funeral Wishes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3208\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/screen-shot-2020-10-28-at-2-29-33-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM.png\" data-orig-size=\"311,378\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM.png\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"311\" height=\"378\" data-attachment-id=\"3208\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/screen-shot-2020-10-28-at-2-29-33-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM.png\" data-orig-size=\"311,378\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM-247x300.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM.png\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM.png 311w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Screen-Shot-2020-10-28-at-2.29.33-PM-247x300.png 247w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 311px) 100vw, 311px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">Funeral wishes are not included in your Will  &#8211;  they are a separate document<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>People often believe their funeral preferences will appear in their Will document. There are two reasons this does not work:<\/p><ul><li>People can freely change their funeral preferences because these choices lack legal force and they don&#8217;t need to follow any formal procedures to update them.<\/li><li>Your Will must go through probate before being accepted  &#8211;  by then your funeral is probably already over<\/li><\/ul><p>The lack of written funeral instructions forces family members to decide about burial methods and ceremony arrangements and casket selection and obituary publication during their most vulnerable emotional state. Funeral homes may pressure them into expensive options. By expressing your wishes, you give guidance and relieve this burden.<\/p><p>The MyFuneral service at USLegalWills.com is <strong>free<\/strong> and covers burial preferences, ceremony details, obituary wishes, and other key topics.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_You_Need_an_Inventory_of_Your_Assets\"><\/span>Why Do You Need an Inventory of Your Assets?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"3212\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/4631641-personal-savings-under-a-brick-in-the-floor\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1714\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;4631641 - personal savings under a brick in the floor&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;altomedia\/123RF&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;4631641 - personal savings under a brick in the floor&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"4631641 &amp;#8211; personal savings under a brick in the floor\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Will your Executor find all of your assets?&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-1024x685.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"685\" data-attachment-id=\"3212\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/complete-estate-plan\/4631641-personal-savings-under-a-brick-in-the-floor\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1714\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;4631641 - personal savings under a brick in the floor&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;altomedia\/123RF&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;4631641 - personal savings under a brick in the floor&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"4631641 &amp;#8211; personal savings under a brick in the floor\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Will your Executor find all of your assets?&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-300x201.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-1024x685.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-1024x685.jpg\" alt=\"Hidden assets\" class=\"wp-image-3212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-1536x1028.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-2048x1371.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Money-stash-under-floor-770x515.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">Without an asset inventory, your Executor may never find all of your assets<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Your Will does not include asset listings because property ownership tends to evolve throughout your life while probate makes your Will document accessible to the public. The Executor needs to have a separate inventory which functions independently from all other documents.<\/p><p>Your Executor will face an impossible mission because they need to discover each asset which includes physical items and bank holdings and investment portfolios and digital accounts that belong to the deceased person. They never really know the task is complete. Assets go undiscovered: cash stored at home, rarely used bank accounts, domain names, PayPal accounts, YouTube revenue.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:30px 0; text-align:center;\"><img data-attachment-id=\"1628\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/digital-assets\/lifelocker-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"956,523\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"LifeLocker\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"956\" height=\"523\" data-attachment-id=\"1628\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/digital-assets\/lifelocker-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"956,523\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"LifeLocker\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker-300x164.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker.jpg\" alt=\"Lifelocker\" class=\"wp-image-1628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker.jpg 956w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/LifeLocker-770x421.jpg 770w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 956px) 100vw, 956px\" \/><figcaption style=\"color:#666; font-size:0.85em; margin-top:8px;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/digital-assets-meet-lifelocker-the-essential-executor-tool\/\">MyLifeLocker<\/a> service provides a complete handbook for your Executor<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/digital-assets-meet-lifelocker-the-essential-executor-tool\/\">MyLifeLocker<\/a> service at USLegalWills.com ($29.95) provides a complete Executor handbook that can be kept online for designated keyholders or printed as a PDF.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_You_Need_a_Revocable_Living_Trust\"><\/span>Do You Need a Revocable Living Trust?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><strong>Not usually.<\/strong> A Revocable Living Trust moves assets outside your estate to reduce probate fees. However:<\/p><ul><li>Probate fees in most states are not prohibitive<\/li><li>The cost and time to set up a trust often outweighs the savings<\/li><li>A trust generally requires legal expertise  &#8211;  not easily done online<\/li><li>The process demands extended time and higher costs when you work on your estate plan.<\/li><\/ul><p>The Pet Trust document exists independently from any Will because pet care provisions exist in all professional Will writing services.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_You_Create_Your_Complete_Estate_Plan\"><\/span>How Do You Create Your Complete Estate Plan?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>USLegalWills.com lets you create all five documents for a price which exceeds $100 by a small amount. For couples, the spouse receives a 40% discount. The entire process takes about one hour:<\/p><ol><li><strong>Will<\/strong>  &#8211;  20 minutes ($49.95)<\/li><li><strong>Financial Power of Attorney<\/strong>  &#8211;  10 minutes ($29.95)<\/li><li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/living-will-definitions-of-service\/\">Living Will<\/a><\/strong>  &#8211;  10 minutes ($19.95)<\/li><li><strong>Funeral Wishes<\/strong>  &#8211;  10 minutes (free)<\/li><li><strong>Asset Inventory<\/strong>  &#8211;  varies ($29.95)<\/li><\/ol><p>Get started today. Our customers show a universal pattern of relief because they have completed their document creation process.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\" style=\"display:inline-block; background:#0077b6; color:white; padding:12px 24px; border-radius:4px; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;\">Start Your Complete Estate Plan Now<\/a><\/p><h3>Related Articles<\/h3><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/last-will-and-testament\/\">Last Will and Testament \u2013 What It Is, When You Need It, How to Write It<\/a><\/li><li>Power of Attorney: It\u2019s Written, But Is That Enough?<\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/living-will-definitions-of-service\/\">Living Will: Definitions of Our Service<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/digital-assets-meet-lifelocker-the-essential-executor-tool\/\">Digital Assets \u2013 Meet LifeLocker<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/how-much-does-a-will-cost-and-why\/\">How Much Does a Will Cost?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uslegalwills.com\/blog\/updating-your-will\/\">Updating Your Will: When, How, and How Much?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/section><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Originally published: October 29, 2020 | Last updated: March 26, 2026 TL;DR: A complete estate plan requires five documents: (1) a Last Will and Testament, (2) a Financial Power of Attorney, (3) a Living Will with Healthcare Proxy and Advance Directives, (4) documented funeral wishes, and (5) an inventory of assets. You do not typically [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[183],"tags":[184,185,135,122,72,123,114],"class_list":["post-3186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-charities","tag-cost","tag-estate-planning","tag-financial-power-of-attorney","tag-funeral-wishes-2","tag-my-life-locker","tag-write-your-will"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\r\n<title>Every document you need for a complete estate plan.<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Writing a Will is an important step, but what constitues a complete estate plan. 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