Estate
Effective estate management enables you to manage your affairs during your lifetime and control the distribution of your wealth after death. An effective estate strategy can spell out your healthcare wishes and ensure that they're carried out – even if you are unable to communicate. It can even designate someone to manage your financial affairs should you be unable to do so.

Principles of Preserving Wealth
How federal estate taxes work, plus estate management documents and tactics.
Related Content

A Brief History of Estate Taxes
Federal estate taxes have long since been a lucrative source of funding for the federal government.

Critical Estate Documents
Sound estate management includes creating financial and healthcare documents. Here's an inside look.

What Is My Life Expectancy?
Estimate how many years you may need retirement assets or how long to provide income to a surviving spouse or children.
Trends in Charitable Giving
Some people may want a more advanced gifting strategy that can maximize their gift and generate potential tax benefits.
Will Power
Preparing for the eventual distribution of your assets may not sound enticing. But a will puts the power in your hands.
Problems with Probate
Probate can be a completely public process, or it can be managed to include as little information as possible.
Put It in a Letter
A letter of instruction provides additional and more personal information regarding your estate.
And the Executor Is
The right executor may help ensure the distribution of your assets is done with as little upheaval as possible.
Estate Management Checklist
Is your estate in order? This short quiz may help you assess your overall strategy.
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What Is My Life Expectancy?
Estimate how many years you may need retirement assets or how long to provide income to a surviving spouse or children.
What's My Potential Estate Tax?
This calculator helps estimate your federal estate tax liability.
What Is My Current Net Worth?
Use this calculator to estimate your net worth by adding up your assets and subtracting your liabilities.
View all calculators 
Principles of Preserving Wealth
How federal estate taxes work, plus estate management documents and tactics.