Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Life presents all of us with circumstances—some good, some bad. We all believe that we will live forever and will be healthy and vibrant. Yet, as some of us know, life throws us all curveballs. Whether we are 20 and just beginning a career or 50 and seeking to retire, we must all seek better methods for planning our futures. Why bother with estate planning? Easy! You get to plan where your money goes, how it gets invested, and how to minimize tax implications. Furthermore, in the case of incapacity or death (heaven forbid!), someone else gets your money other than Uncle Sam. The goal here is not to scare you but to help you understand your options, minimize taxes, and plan for a liquid financial future.  
 
Learning Objectives: 

• Identify the documents required for planning


• Determine where, when, why, and how to begin the process


• Recognize whom to call and how to trust someone else with your investments


• Contrast and compare the different options available for your investments


• Construct paths of success with instruments you did not know existed 


• List key tax basics and understand the difference between gift tax and estate tax