It’s important to me to make Louisiana estate planning as simple as possible.

You can create a last will and testament, sign a power of attorney, and even write down your final wishes. But, if you don’t approach your estate plan with a big picture strategy, you might just miss the mark when it comes to creating the best estate plan for you and your family.

The first step of any estate plan is knowing you have to put one in place. So, since you’re here, you’ve already done the first (and probably the most important) step.

Regardless of what you already have in place (or not), if you don’t already have a power of attorney set up, then that should be your next step.

This is an often overlooked and misunderstood document that could save you and your loved ones a lot of stress when life serves up it’s favorite dish: the unexpected.

A quite note before we get started: a power of attorney document is not exclusively for estate planning. However, a successful estate plan always includes a power of attorney.

An estate planning inventory is a comprehensive list that details all the parts of your estate. This can include:

• Assets (your property)

• Liabilities (your debt)

• Important documents (deeds, contracts, marriage license, birth certificate)

• Related info like login credentials and ancillary documents

This inventory is often created to help prepare a last will and testament and serves as a very important part of the estate planning process.

A living will is a written, legal document that specifies and clarifies your preferences around medical care and medical treatment should you become incapacitated.

Often, a living will is employed during end of life care. Because it is in place to communicate your wishes when you are unable to do so, it is a vital and important part of your estate plan.

There are quite a few ways that property can be classified in Louisiana

It can be classified by a person’s ownership interest in the property such as owned outright, in usufruct, etc. 

Understanding what you own and how you own it is essential to creating a successful estate plan.

For high-stakes decisions (like estate planning), I've seen people become paralyzed in the decision-making process. 

Sometimes this inability to choose is referred to as decision paralysis or analysis paralysis. In my estate planning practice, I call this planning paralysis.

When being named the executor of someone’s estate, it can feel overwhelming. It’s important that you know what’s required before the time comes for you to take action. 

Let's talk about what the executor's role is in Louisiana Estate Planning.