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Further, five common mistakes an estate plan helps you avoid include:

📌 Not naming a beneficiary: If you don't specify a beneficiary, the court will decide how to distribute your assets, based on state law.

📌 Not removing an ex-spouse: After divorce, updating your beneficiary designation is important, as the listed beneficiary usually takes precedence over wills or divorce decrees.

📌 Failing to consider a beneficiary's death: If a beneficiary dies before you, how assets are distributed depends on how you designated beneficiaries, either "per capita" (among surviving beneficiaries) or "per stirpes" (to the deceased beneficiary's heirs).

📌 Assuming a will or trust suffices: Estate planning documents like wills or trusts may not govern retirement accounts unless they are designated as beneficiaries.

📌 Letting emotions hinder decisions: Emotional concerns about discussing death or fearing judgment can lead to inaction or poor decisions.

You have the power to provide your loved ones (and yourself) with increased comfort before your passing right now. Create a comprehensive estate plan that covers all angles of your assets and ensure your friends and family understand your wishes as well.