Most American don't even have simple wills, and even fewer have living wills or designated healthcare surrogates. While doing this work might seem sobering, once you've made an estate plan, you'll find it calming and reassuring to you and your family. The goal is to communicate your end-of-life healthcare wishes, document what you have and who gets it after you die, and set up a trouble-free way to transfer your assets to your heirs or preferred charities while minimizing payouts to probate courts, attorneys, accountants, and Uncle Sam.

In this episode, some basic do's and don'ts when it comes to planning what happens after you leave this world. We hope these tips will save you hassles and money—and enable you to avoid some common mistakes.

Additional Resources:

Estate Planning Tasks and Tips

Creating a Roadmap for Your Heirs

Hiring Estate-Planning Experts

Wills and Living Wills: Help with Preparing Yours