Estate basics
Wills, beneficiaries & the money side of end-of-life
Nobody wants to think about this, and avoiding it is completely human — but a few simple steps spare the people you love a painful, expensive mess. This track is the money side of estate planning and end-of-life: what an estate actually is (everything you own, at any income level), what a will does and what probate is, the crucial paperwork — beneficiary designations — that passes directly and overrides a will, and planning for incapacity with powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and a digital-access plan. It also clears up what really happens to debt when someone dies. Educational only and never legal advice — laws vary by state. Warm, judgment-free, gentle, never pushy.
4 lessons · about 24 minutes total · 100% free
Saved on this device only — no account needed.
1. Why everyone needs an estate plan
Your estate is everything you own minus what you owe, and you already have one. Learn what happens to it with no plan and the four documents that fix that.
6 min read
2. Wills and what they actually do
A will names your child's guardian, says who gets what, and puts an executor in charge, but it never touches a 401(k) or life insurance. Learn where a will stops.
6 min read
3. Beneficiaries: the paperwork that overrides your will
The beneficiary form on your 401(k), IRA or life insurance overrides your will. Learn which accounts pass this way, when to recheck the forms, and why a backup name matters.
6 min read
4. Power of attorney, directives, and digital assets
Plan for incapacity, not just death: a financial power of attorney, a healthcare proxy and directive, an access plan for your digital life, and what happens to your debts.
6 min read