Legal Essentials for Retirees

7/28/2019 Legal Essentials for Retirees

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Legal Essentials for Retirees

How to Prepare for the Retirement Youve Earned


2/15LegaL essentiaLs for retirees

table of contents

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Wi & e Pi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 4

Wi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 5

Pwr ar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 7

ad Hhr Diri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 9

tr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 11

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about

Rocket laWyeR

At Rocket Lawyer, were

making legal work easier

and more convenient or

everyone.

We know the law iscomplex and mistakes can

be costly. We also know

theres no replacement or

a good lawyer. Thats why

weve developed easy-to-

use technology to help you

do more on your own, and

backed it up with a network

o Rocket Lawyer On Call

attorneys who are ready to

help when you need it.

Since 2008, weve used

this approach to help over

20 million amilies and

small businesses create

legal agreements, plan or

the uture, and eel more

condent.

Visit www.rocketlawyer.com

Rocket Lawyer eGuide Disclaimer

This eGuide is oered or inormational and educational purposes only and should not be

construed as legal advice. The law diers in each legal jurisdiction and may be interpreted or

applied dierently based on your specifc actual situation. Use o the inormation in this

eGuide is not a substitute or the advice o licensed legal counsel in your state and you should

not act or rely on any inormation contained in this eGuide without frst seeking advice rom

your own attorney.

You spent years honing your skills and building a successul career. Now

its time to put a some o that know-how towards making your retirement

everything youve imagined. As you plan or the nancial side o your

retirement, you should also give a little thought to what would happen

i something were to happen to you, and how you could take care o the

loved ones you leave behindyour spouse, children, grandchildren, and

the other people in your lie who mean so much.

Estate planning is a key element o your retirement preparations. No

matter the size o your estate, a little organization at this stage o the

game will ensure your heirs get the property and assets you wish to leave

to them with a minimum o red tape and legal expense.

This guide takes you step by step through the entire estate-planning

processrom amiliar topics like Wills and Power o Attorney, to more

detailed matters like Advance Healthcare Directives and Trusts. Were

here to help you get a legally sound estate plan in place that makes your

wishes known and protects your heirs so that you can truly enjoy this

hard-earned time o your lie.

legal essentIals foR RetIRees

How to Prepare or theRetirement Youve Earned
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For many people, a Last Will and Testament is something to put together

sometime in the uture, such as when youve accrued a lot o money, oryour health is uncertain. On the contrary, a Will can support and protectyour spouse and heirs during your retirement in the same way a savingsaccount, IRA or lie insurance policy can.

The way the law works, when you pass away without a Will and estateplan in place, the courts are required to make important decisions or you,including who owns your house and how your aassets are divided. Evenwhen the court makes a decision you would agree with, an estate withouta Will or detailed plan can mean unnecessary legal expenses, court eesand red tape or your loved ones.

With an estate plan, you can also communicate your wishes aboutmedical treatments and end-o-lie care. Its as much about your amilyas it is about you: by putting your wishes in writing, the people youleave behind wont have to make these tough decisions without writteninstructions rom you.

gettIng staRteD

In this section well walk you through the basics o estate planning andhow to prepare or unexpected events. A solid estate plan may include a:

Last Will and Testament

Power o Attorney

Advance Healthcare Directive

Trust

Well show you how these legal documents work together to protect youand your amily.

Wills &Estate Planning

estate PlannIng

can HelP you:

Take charge o exactly o

where your assets go ater

your death, whether thats

to your children, spouse,

relatives, a avorite charity

(or a combination thereo)

Make arrangements or

what happens to you i

you become incapacitated

Appoint people to make

decisions on your behal i

youre unable to

Explain how youd like

difcult healthcare

decisions to be handled

on your behal
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Simply put, a Last Will is a legal document that states who gets yourmoney and property ater your death. Its a key piece o any estate planand works or individuals at any stage in lie.

WHat youll neeD to DecIDe

Although every persons Will reects their own situation and needs, thereare some things all wills have in common. These are the basics youll wantto consider beore you get started with your Will.

Step 1: Property

Since your Will gives directions as to how your property and assets will bedistributed ater your death, youll need to take stock o the money, homesland and possessions you own. You may already be doing this as part oyour retirement planning, but take a second look and try to be as thorough

as possible to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. For example,i you have stocks, mutual unds, retirement plans, valuable works o artor even digital assets like MP3s, add them all to your list. This will beespecially important i youre distributing what you own to more than oneperson or organization.

Step 2: Benefciaries

Next youll want to choose and designate the beneciaries o your estate.Typically your beneciaries are your spouse, children, grandchildren,relatives, close riends or organizations that you want to receive the things

you own. Its generally most common (and sometimes the law, dependingon the state where you live) to designate your spouse as a beneciary.

Step 3: Executor

Once youve decided on your beneciaries and know who will get what,youll need to designate a person to make sure everything happensaccording to your wishes. Your executor is the person you appointto make sure the directions in your Will are actually carried out. It canbe a more dicult decision than choosing your beneciaries: its bestto choose an executor who is organized, good with their own nances,and ideally someone who is amiliar with your amily and your nancial

history. Your executor will:

Gather your assets

Pay your bills and outstanding debt

Distribute your remaining assets

File any ocial paperwork

Some states have certain requirements about your executor, or exampleyou might not be able to designate someone out o state. Also, i youreconcerned about checks and balances in the process, you can always

Will

WHat It Does

A Will communicates

to your amily and to the

courts your exact wishes

concerning your property

and assets ater your

death. Drated during

your lietime, a Willallows you to:

Direct who gets your

property

Speciy how your

property is divided among

your heirs

Designate a guardian or

your children i they are

minors

For many people,a simple Will does the

trick. I your estate is

particularly extensive or

complicated (and likewise

i your amily is extensive

or complex), you might

want to consider some

legal assistance to make

sure youve thought o

everything. Otherwise, you

can get started now with

our Simple Will document.
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appoint two executors to make sure everything getscarried out according to plan. Either way, be sure toappoint a backup executor just in case. I youre notsure about the rules where you live, you can get moreinormation rom your county clerk o probate courtor an attorney who specializes in estate planning.

Step 4: Guardians

I you have minor children, or act as the guardianor your grandchildren, youll want to choose whosgoing to care or them i you and your spouse passaway. Think it through careully, considering notonly who would take best care o your kids but alsothinking about where they would be most happy inthe long term.

HoW to Make It legal

When youve made your decisions and clariedyour wishes, its essential to make your Will a legallysound document. This step ensures that the documentdoes what it needs to do and makes the process aseasy as possible on your loved ones. I youve alreadyollowed the steps in our Last Will and Testament

document, print it out and ollow the directionsprovided.

Step 1: Signing & Witnessing

Once your Will is good to go, sign and date it inront o a witness. Some states require two or morewitnesses, so check with your county clerk or an estateplanning lawyer or specics. Depending on whereyou live, you may also need to sign your Will beorea notary public, who can then notarize the document.

Wills created with Rocket Lawyer include state-specic guidance to walk you through the documentstep by step.

Step 2: Make Copies & Store It

Whether youre super organized or not-so-much, yourWill is one document you need to keep track o. It alsoneeds to be easy or your spouse and heirs to locate

remember that you wont be around to remind themwhere its kept. Make a ew copies o your Will or closeamily members or others you trust. You can share yourdocument electronically (like through Rocket Lawyer)so key people have a copy at their ngertips, but keepin mind that most states require the original papercopy to be presented during the probate process. Tomake things as easy as possible or your loved ones,keep the original somewhere sae such as in a saetydeposit box or with your attorney.

Step 3: The Codicil

Even during your retirement years youll encountersome o lies big changesincluding having moregrandchildren, divorcing or acquiring more assetsthat could require a change in your Will. A Codicildocument allows you to change one or more provisionsin your Will without having to redo the originaldocument. (You can access a Codicil to Will orm here.)

You can also change your Will by creating acompletely new one and ollowing all the steps to

sign and execute it.

Your Will is the oundation o your estate plan.Setting aside the time to crat an airtight Will ensuresthat whats yours is easily transerred to your amilyshould anything happen to you.

Next well cover the other documents youll need tomake sure your estate plan is complete.
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Do you know what would happen to your spouse, children or household iyou were unable to make major decisions, became incapacitated, or wereotherwise unable to handle things? This is where a Power o Attorney,another estate planning essential, comes in.

Like a Will, a Power o Attorney can save your amily legal expenses,court ees and other hassles. In most states, i you become incapacitatedwithout a designated Power o Attorney the courts are required to step inand make decisions or you, a process that can be both lengthy and costlyI youre ready to appoint your decision maker, you cannd a Power oAttorney orm here.


Who your Power o Attorney agents are, and what they can and cantmake decisions about, is largely up to you. With that in mind, here are aew things to think about as you acilitate this part o your estate plan.

Step 1: Agent

The rst step--and or many the most important--is choosing your agentor Power o Attorney. This is the individual (or individuals, as you maydecide) whom you elect to make major decisions on your behal when andi youre unable to do so. Just as when you chose your executor, youll wanto nd someone who can handle the responsibility. Above all, youll needto think about:

Choosing someone you trust with your nances and amily. You mightwant to settle on someone who handles their own afairs pretty well.

Whether or not the individual will charge a ee or services,such as i your pick is an attorney rather than a amily member.

Whether or not the individual agrees to be your agentin such circumstances.

Quick aside: Its a good idea to appoint a backup agent in case your rstchoice passes away or is unable to assume the responsibilities when thetime comes.

Step 2: Powers

A Power o Attorneys authority can be broad or specic, depending onyour wishes. For example, you might designate your agent to handleonly medical issues i you become incapacitated; or you might grant oneagent the ability to make nancial decisions and another the ability tomake household decisions. Its really your choice. But to make it easier tomanage, the law species several categories o Power o Attorney. Well gointo detail below.

Power o Attorney

WHat It Does

A Power o Attorney is

a document that allows

you to legally appoint a

specic person to handle

your nances and make

decisions i youre unable

to do so. This could bedue to a health problem,

international trip, or or any

other reason you speciy.

There are several types o

Power o Attorney that can

work or you. Well explain

in more detail below, but

in general your designated

agent can:

Write & sign checks

Make household decisions

Sign legal documents

Make healthcare decisions

Run your business

Call the shots on whatever

you designate
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General Power o Attorney: This grants broadpowers to your agent, allowing them to make keydecisions about your nances, health, business or anyother matter that would need your permission.

Special Power o Attorney: This option allows you togrant specic powers to specic agents. For example,you could allow your spouse to make medical decisions

on your behal, your nancial advisor to make the callon your money and assets, and so on. Special Powero Attorney gives you the exibility to tap into thedecision-making skills o diferent agents. Also, i youdont want to grant too much power to one individual,this option might give you a little peace o mind inyour estate planning.

Durable Power o Attorney: This additional statuscan be applied to both a General and Special Powero Attorney. Also known as an Enduring Power oAttorney, it allows your agents powers to continue

unchanged even i you become incapacitatedorexample, i you are in a coma or youre not mentallycompetent to make decisions. In contrast, a non-durable Power o Attorney is no longer valid i youbecome incapacitated. A Durable Power o Attorneyis oten adopted by people who want a specic amilymember to make ongoing decisions on their behal, orexample i your brother, sister or adult child is a doctor,nancial advisor or has some other decision-makingabilities you trust.

Springing Power o Attorney: I you travel requentlyout o the country, a Springing Power o Attorney canalso be useul. This is a type o Durable POA that goesinto efect automatically in certain situations, like whenyou take an extended trip overseas. A Springing Powero Attorney grants your agent powers only when thesespecic situations occur.

Step 3: Execution

The Power o Attorney type you select above will otenstipulate when these powers (general or specic) gointo efect. For example, your Springing POA couldgrant your brother decision-making powers when youtake a trip overseas. Or your Durable POA could giveyour daughter, a CPA, the power to manage and investyour money or you.

Each state has a process or determining when anindividual is mentally incompetent, so its wise tobe as specic as possible in your Power o Attorneydocument about your denition o incompetence

by requiring a doctors certication o your inabilityto make sound decisions or yoursel. I you dontmake your criteria clear, you could lose precious timewhile the courts make a decision. I you need a littleassistance with how to spell all this out in your Powero Attorney document, you might want to speak withan attorney who specializes in estate matters.

It may seem like a lot o decisions to make, but ourcustomizable Power o Attorney document explainsexplains each choice as you ll it out. Creating yourPOA is really a simple process.
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Ater youve established Power o Attorney privileges, its a smart next

step to create a plan in case youre in need o lie-sustaining treatment orend-o-lie care when you cant make decisions or yoursel. We can walkyou through the steps or how to prepare or such a situation and reducestress and expenses or your loved ones.


Its wise to make your Advance Healthcare Directive as specic aspossible, taking into account not only aspects o medical care andtreatments but also more detailed inormation concerning your goalsor treatment and care. This is your opportunity to take control o thesedecisions so that your loved ones or a medical proessional dont have tomake tough choices or you.

Step 1: Choose an Agent

As with Power o Attorney, youll want to choose an individual who servesas your representative should you have an accident that puts you on liesupport. The diference, however, is that this agents duties will be toensure that the directives in your Living Will are carried out, rather thanmaking the decision or you like a Power o Attorney.

When selecting your agent--sometimes called a health care proxyor patient advocate--be sure to settle on someone who is:

Willing to serve in this capacity

Willing to separate their own eelings rom those spelled out in theLiving Will

Not alreadyor not expected to beproviding you with medial care

Step 2: The Directive

Here youll need to drat your eelings about medical treatment and careshould you become terminally ill and unable to communicate. I you ndit dicult to think through this topic, you might consider consulting your

physician to get a better sense o how doctors and hospitals handle lie-support situations and diferent scenarios. Take note o the ollowing:

Treatments: How would you like to be treated i an accident or illnessmade you unable to communicate your wishes? You can speciy whetheryou want particular lie-sustaining eforts made, or not.

Pain Management: Dene what types o medication or pain managementyoud like to be given in this situation.

Personal Grooming & Bathing: You might also speciy how youd

Advance HealthcareDirective

WHat It Does

While a Will is a document

that expresses where

youd like your assets and

property to go ater you

pass away, an Advance

Healthcare Directive, also

known as a Living Will, isa separate document that

expresses your wishes

about lie support should

you become unable to

communicate or become

mentally incapacitated.

These situations could

include comas, vegetative

states, or dementia

accompanying disorders

like Alzheimers disease.



like your grooming to be handled during yourincapacitation. I you wish to have certain personalefects nearby, you can also put that down in writing.

Spiritual & Emotional Support: You could wishto have certain loved ones or spiritual guides inattendance, or example, beore or ater being taken oflie support.

Autopsy & Organ Donation: An autopsy will notnormally be perormed unless the death is consideredsuspicious. However, i you wish to grant your healthcare agent the power to request one, you can put thatin writing. You can also speciy your wishes on organdonation.

Funeral Plans: In your Advance Healthcare Directive,you may also speciy how youd like your remains andyour memorial to be handled.

HoW to Make It legalOnce youve put together your Advance HealthcareDirective, youll need to ollow similar steps to the onceyou used to complete your Will and Power o Attorney.

Step 1: Sign & Notarize

I youve assembled your Advance Healthcare Directiveor Living Will using Rocket Lawyer, simply print outthe document and sign it in the presence o two ormore witnesses and a notary public. You do not needa lawyer or physician present or the signing, but iyoure unsure about anything having to do with thecontent or validity o your document, the saest route isto check with an attorney.

Step 2: Copy & Distribute

As with your other estate planning documents, yourAdvance Directive wont be o much use i no onecan nd it in a time o need. Be sure to make severalcopies or share it electronically with your close amilymembers, physician, and local hospital i you wish. In

addition, keep an original copy handy in your homesae, sae deposit box, or with your attorney.

Step 3: Ongoing Review

Its wise to examine your Advance Healthcare Directiveevery so oten to make sure everything is up to date.

Several reasons or this include:

A change in your eelings about treatment and care

Updates in medical technology

Changes in healthcare laws

Moving to a new state

Changes in your ability to pay or medical care

Most/Post DocuMents

You might also consider meeting with your physicianto crat one-page directives that outline your wishesin end-o-lie situations. Called Medical Orders orScope o Treatment (MOST) or Physician Orders orScope o Treatment (POST) orms, these documentsare commonly recognized by doctors and can serve asan attachment to your Advance Healthcare Directive.Some states have diferent guidelines or MOST/POST

directives, so be sure to check with your doctor orhospital prior to lling one out.

I youre ready to drat your Advance HealthcareDirective, you can access a Living Will orm here.

lIvIng WIlls & HealtHcaRe PoWeRof attoRney

As you assemble your estate planning documents,you might wonder i an Advance Healthcare Directiveis relevant i you already have a Healthcare Power

o Attorney. Both documents allow you to select anagent to make healthcare decisions on your behalwhen youre unable to do so, but the diference lies inthe act that your Advance Healthcare Directive is orimpending death-related issues only. To be sure thatyou are covered in all situations, its generally best tohave both documents.
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WHo neeDs a tRust

A Trust gives you more control because you can detail how and when

your property is distributed. This control allows you to take advantage

o certain tax laws, dictate how money is distributed over a long periodo time, and have more privacy. Trusts are popular with wealthy amilies

or all o these reasons, but they can be smart or any amily that needs to

control how assets are distributed.

For example, i you have a special needs grandchild under your

guardianship, you can speciy how much to spend on the childs care each

month, and make rules about what types o care the child will receive.

Using a Trust ensures that someone with the childs best interests in mind

makes decisions on his or her behal. It also helps the child qualiy or

government aid by limiting their net worth. In contrast, a Will typically

gives all assets over at once.

These are a ew o the situations where Trusts are especially helpul:

You have heirs with special needs, like physical or mental disabilities

You have minor children/grandchildren or children/grandchildren

rom a previous marriage

You have assets to pass along that might be subject to git

or estate taxes

You want to have more control over how your property is distributed

Youd like your heirs to avoid probate

Your estate is particularly large or complex

While Trusts give you more control over what happens with assets, they

can be more expensive and complicated to create and maintain. Its best

to check in with an attorney or an accountant i youre unsure whats right

or you.

WHos InvolveD

Grantor: The person who sets up the Trust. The grantor is the person

who assigns their assets to the Trust: typically you, or you and your

spouse.Trustee: The person or entity who manages the Trust. During your

lietime, the trustee can be you. The trustee can also be any person you

trust, a lawyer, or a nancial institution. Once the Trust is established,

the trustee manages the assets with the ultimate goal o distributing the

property to the beneciaries. The trustee has a duty to ollow the rules

you set when you create the Trust, and to act in the beneciaries best

interests.

You might want to consider consulting an attorney or nancial advisor

Trust

WHat It Is

A Trust is a separate

legal entitykind o like a

corporationthat you give

all your assets and property

to during your lietime. Your

assets continue to benet

you while youre alive (i.e.you can live in your house

and draw money rom your

bank accounts), but theyre

technically the property o

the Trust.

Like a Will, the Trust allows

you to speciy where your

assets will go ater your

death. But because the

Trust owns everything when

you die, there are no assets

that need to go through

probate court. Avoiding

probate means youll save

on expenses, your heirs

should receive property

sooner, and it wont be a

matter o public record.



when it comes to deciding on a trustee. Dependingon the terms o the Trust, the trustee could need toserve or a long time, so some people preer to namea nancial institution. On the ip side, nancialinstitutions can be expensive and inexible to workwith, so many preer to name a lawyer or a responsibleamily member.

Benefciary: The individual(s) who eventually receivethe assets rom the Trust. During your lietime, yourethe beneciary. Ater your death, the people youvenamed benet rom the Trust.

WHat youll neeD to Do

Step 1: Decide on a Type o Trust

There are two common types o Trusts which allowyour assets to bypass probate. The one you choose willdepend on the extent to which you want to maintaincontrol o your assets during your lietime, whether ornot youre willing to exchange control o your assets oradditional tax savings, and your desire to shelter theassets rom your creditors.

Youll select between:

Revocable Trusts: When you create a Trust, youtechnically give up ownership o your assets. Thistype o Trust can be revoked at any time during thegrantors lietime, meaning you can regain ownership.Because o this exibility, the assets do not receivespecial tax protection or sheltering rom creditorsduring the grantors lietime, or ater their death.

Irrevocable Trusts: When a grantor transers theirassets into this kind o Trust, its permanent, and

thereore, irrevocable. Because the assets are no longer

the grantors, theyre protected rom certain taxes and

creditors. The assets are not subject to the grantors

liabilities, because they are owned and controlled by

the Trust, not the grantor.

It is technically possible to appoint the grantor as the

trustee, but it means that the grantor still has control o

the assets, and that some o this liability protection islost. Appointing an independent trustee provides the

most protection or assets, because the grantor gives

up control.

While this type o Trust isnt or everyone, transerring

your assets into an irrevocable Trust doesnt mean they

wont continue to benet you. Remember that trustees

are under many legal obligations when managing

assets in a Trust, so while youre technically giving

up ownership, the trustee is legally responsible or

making decisions in the best interest o the Trustsbeneciarieswhich includes you!

Specialized Trusts: Once you decide whether you

want a revocable or irrevocable Trust, you may want

to customize it or certain situations and needs.

For example, Minor Childrens Trusts allow or the

management o assets or a period o time until your

children or grandchildren reach an age you speciy,

Lie Insurance Trusts help avoid estate taxes on lie

insurance benets, and Bypass Trusts help you get

around some estate taxes. To select the right Trust oryour needs, talk to an estate planning attorney who can

help you choose whats best or your amily.

Step 2: Setting Up a Trust

It is possible to create a Trust on your own, but

its recommended that you seek the advice o an

experienced attorney who specializes in estate

planning to walk you through what can sometimes

be a complex process.

At this stage youll want to:

Gather or determine the assets to put in Trust

Decide upon a trustee to manage the Trust

Choose beneciaries or the Trust

Determine ongoing costs and expenses

I you create a Trust on your own (Rocket Lawyer can

help), most states require you to sign it in the presence

o a notary.
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apply or Social Security payments or youre taking acruise around the world, youll need ocial documentslike marriage certicates, deeds, birth certicates,passports and Social Security cards. Youll need tobalance the need to have these records somewhere youcan access them easily, while protecting them rombeing lost or damaged. A home sae or a sae depositbox are solid options.

stoRIng & uPDatIng DocuMents

A ew times weve mentioned how important it is oryour estate planning documents (which youve takenthe time to put together careully) to be accessible tothe people who need them in a pinchyour amily.

I you have a lawyer, you should be able to storeimportant documents in their oce. Sae depositboxes are also ideal storage or your estate-planningorms and other legal documents. Most banks have

them, and they are a secure and convenient placeto keep everything.

Make sure a ew trusted riends or amily membersknow where to nd your estate planning documents.Consider telling the people you nominate as agents,trustees, and/or executorsit will make it easier orthem to jump into action i anything ever happensto you.

Additionally, when major lie changes occur likedeaths, births, marriages, divorces, inheritances, new

business ventures and so on, you might want to revisityour Will, Power o Attorney, Advance HealthcareDirective and Trust in case some o the details needupdating. A good rule o thumb is to revisit andreview these documents every ew years to ensure thateverything is current and compliant with the law.

WHen to talk to an exPeRt

We hope this guide has provided you with enoughdirection or you to take charge o your estate planning,but you might hit a bump or two in the process whenyoull want a little proessional help. For example, iyoure dealing with large sums o money, have a childor beneciary with special needs, or have children roma previous marriage youd like provided or separately,a lawyer can help you cut through the og to providethe customized guidance you need.

As a rule o thumb, i you are unsure about something,taking the time to talk to a lawyer is a good idea. It cansave a lot o trouble in the long run.

Family and estate planning attorneys are specialists,and can handle your entire estate plan, or be broughtin on a situation-by-situation basis. Youll also likelyneed a little legal assistance i youre the executoro a Will that goes to probate.

Accountants can also help with estate and retirementplanning, especially when tax laws have an impact on

your estate and i you want to minimize inheritancetaxes or your heirs.

I youre in need o personalized guidance or yourestate planning, we can help you nd a lawyer toanswer simple questions or do more detailed work.
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Youve come a long way in your lie and career. In the same way thatyouve worked hard to reach retirement, youll want to put in a littletime to establish an estate plan. As weve explained above, these typeso saeguards will ensure your wishes concerning your property andhealthcare are carried out legally, thoroughly and with a minimum oexpense and inconvenience to your heirs.

We can help you create a custom estate plan or your needs. Visit theRocket Lawyer Estate Planning Center or more o the guidance you needto protect your amily.As you proceed,

youll probably

have more

questions about

specic state and

local laws too.

Rocket Lawyer

has a network

o attorneys who

can help you

with these estate

planning related

legal questions.

Visitwww.rocketlawyer.com

Conclusion

Rocket Lawyer eGuide Disclaimer

This eGuide is oered or inormational and educational purposes only and should not be

construed as legal advice. The law diers in each legal jurisdiction and may be interpreted

or applied dierently based on your specifc actual situation. Use o the inormation in this

eGuide is not a substitute or the advice o licensed legal counsel in your state and you should

not act or rely on any inormation contained in this eGuide without frst seeking advice rom

your own attorney.

Using Rocket Lawyer has been a fabulous experience. A real person guidedme through the process of using a Codicil to update my Will, and took awayany concerns I had. They gave me the extra help I needed to give me truepeace of mind, and I have recommended them to everyone I know.

Valerie A.

Rocket Lawyer On Cal l Customer
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Legal Essentials for Retirees

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