Welcome To Easy Estates

An advance directive is a legal document that explains how you want medical decisions about you to be made if you cannot make the decisions yourself.
 

An advance directive lets your health care team and loved ones know what kind of health care you want, or who you want to make decisions for you when you can't. An advance directive can help you think ahead of time about what kind of care you want. 

A general durable power of attorney both authorizes someone to act in a wide range of legal and business matters and remains in effect even if you are incapacitated. The document is also known as a durable power of attorney for finances. The POA can take effect immediately or can become effective only if you are incapacitated.

With a valid power of attorney, the trusted person you name will be legally permitted to take care of important matters for you -- for example, paying your bills, managing your investments, - if you are unable to do so yourself.

A Will, also known as a Last Will and Testament, is a legally prepared and bound document that states your intentions for the distribution of your assets and wealth after your death.

In the event you have children, a valid Will also allows you to designate who will care for them.  Having a will is essential when you are planning for your estate. 

A trust is a fiduciary arrangement that allows a third party, or trustee, to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries. 

Since trusts usually avoid probate, your beneficiaries may gain access to these assets more quickly than they might to assets that are transferred using a will.