We'll walk through how this estate planning course works, what you'll be learning, and a few things to keep in mind before you dive in.

What is estate planning and why is it important? Learn how estate planning prepares you for death and incapacity, helps your assets go to the right people, and avoids common issues like probate, estate taxes, and guardianship.

Learn the essential estate planning documents every adult needs—including a will, trust, power of attorney, and health care directives. This chapter introduces how each document works and how they fit together to create a complete estate plan.

Think of this as your roadmap for the rest of the course. We'll show you how it's all laid out—so you can connect the dots as you go and see how everything fits together.

Get a clear understanding of wills, trusts, and the probate process. We'll walk through how a last will and testament works, how assets are distributed, and whether a trust might be right for you.

Dive deeper into how trusts actually work in estate planning. Learn how to fund a trust, what happens if assets are left out (and how a pour-over will works), and how trust documents, trustees, and key supporting documents come together to help you avoid probate and manage your estate effectively.

Go beyond the basics and learn the details that can make or break your estate plan. Discover which assets are not controlled by your will or trust (like life insurance, retirement accounts, and jointly owned property), common estate planning mistakes, and how to coordinate everything so your assets go where you intend.

Estate planning gets more nuanced when life isn't simple. Learn how to handle disinheriting a child or spouse, planning for blended families, using A/B trusts (marital or bypass trusts), and protecting loved ones with a special needs trust.

Understand how estate taxes work—and whether your estate will owe them. Learn how federal and state estate tax exemptions apply, how to estimate your taxable estate, and explore common estate tax planning strategies to reduce or avoid taxes.

There's more to plan than just your estate. This chapter covers disposition of remains, funeral planning, and other important end-of-life details that can help prevent family conflict and make things easier for your loved ones.

What happens if you can't manage your own finances? Learn how a durable power of attorney works, how to choose the right agent, and how to avoid costly guardianship—plus the risks of adding a child to your bank account and safer alternatives.

Plan for your medical care if you're ever unable to speak for yourself. Learn how a health care power of attorney, HIPAA authorization, and living will (advance directive) work together to ensure your medical decisions, health information, and end-of-life wishes are handled the way you want.

Make sure your children are cared for if something happens to you. Learn how to appoint a guardian for minor children, how guardianship works if you die or become incapacitated, and how your child's inheritance is managed through a conservator or trust.

What happens to your online accounts if something happens to you? This chapter shows you how to organize your digital assets—including passwords, devices, and online accounts—so your loved ones can access what they need when they need it.

Learn what to do after creating your estate plan. We'll cover how to review your documents, follow proper signing requirements, store them securely, and make updates—so your plan is valid, accessible, and up to date.

You made it—and that's a big deal! This chapter connects all the dots, so you can see how all the pieces of your estate plan fit together, and feel confident taking your next steps.