Not legal advice. I am not an attorney, and 360NetWorth, Inc. does not provide legal services or prepare legal documents. What follows reflects what I have observed over a 40-year career in financial services. My observations are general education, not advice about your situation. For legal advice or legal documents, consult a licensed attorney. — David Disraeli
What Goes Into a Complete Estate Plan?
Most people think estate planning means writing a will. In my experience a will alone is often one of the least effective ways to transfer assets — it requires probate, becomes public record, and can take 6–12 months before a family sees a dollar.
The complete plans I have seen over the years commonly include documents like these, prepared by the client's attorney:
Revocable Living Trust
Holds your assets, avoids probate entirely, transfers immediately at death. The foundation of any serious estate plan.
Learn more →Pour-Over Will
A companion to your trust that captures any assets not yet transferred, directing them into the trust at death.
Durable Power of Attorney
Designates who manages your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. Without one, your family may need a court order.
Medical Power of Attorney
Names who makes healthcare decisions on your behalf. Critical in a medical emergency.
HIPAA Authorization
Allows named individuals to receive your medical information from healthcare providers.
Special Needs Trust
Protects a disabled beneficiary's government benefits while providing supplemental support from your estate.
Why Estate Planning Is Not Just for the Wealthy
If you own a home, have children, or have any assets at all — you need an estate plan. Without one, Texas law decides who gets your property, who raises your children, and who manages your affairs. That default outcome is rarely what you would have chosen.
Common situations where the absence of an estate plan causes serious harm:
- A parent dies without a will — minor children go into guardianship proceedings determined by the court
- A couple owns property jointly — the surviving spouse discovers the property must still go through probate
- A real estate investor dies with properties in their personal name — heirs face months of court delays and attorney fees
- A blended family — assets pass to a spouse from a prior marriage rather than to the intended children
- A business owner has no succession plan — the business dissolves rather than continuing
Estate Planning Topics
Living Trusts
The most effective tool for avoiding probate and keeping your estate private.
Read more →Thinking Through an Estate Plan
An overview of the pieces I see in most estate plans and the questions worth asking before you meet with an attorney.
Read more →Dealing with Minors
Special considerations for parents — guardianship, custodial accounts, and trusts for children.
Read more →How to Disinherit Family
Legally protecting your estate from estranged relatives or unwanted heirs.
Read more →Estate Planning Is for the Living
Why the real purpose of estate planning is protecting the people you leave behind.
Read more →Talk Through the Financial Side
Retirement income, beneficiary designations, insurance, and taxes all affect what your family inherits. A free call with David covers the financial side; for legal documents, work with a licensed attorney.