Northwestern Mutual LOG IN CLAIMS ESTATE PLANNING Make a difficult time a little easier. What is estate planning? Estate planning isn't just for people with a lot of land or wealth. It's all about making sure that if something happens to you, your family won't be burdened by speculating on what you may have wanted. It gives them the freedom to grieve and the comfort of knowing they're honoring your wishes. Having a plan for your estate — your home, your money, and your possessions — means you can continue to help your family reach goals you set together, even after you're gone. Your advisor will help you look at your investments, insurance policies, savings, and overall goals so you can create a plan designed to set your family up for financial success in the event of your passing. Take the next step. Our financial advisors can help with your estate planning and show you how it fits into your bigger financial plan. It's easy to get started—no commitment, just a conversation. LET'S TALK How estate planning works with your financial plan Of course, there's your will — a set of instructions that tells your family who should get what and can name a guardian for any of your children under 18 years old (if necessary). You should create documents to designate who should make financial and medical decisions if you can't make them yourself. But that's just part of it. Your Northwestern Mutual advisor can help you coordinate your estate plan with your other advisors like attorneys, accountants, and tax professionals to do things like set up trusts, minimize estate taxes and administrative costs, protect your estate from mismanagement, and more. You can even talk with them about how to minimize taxes paid on the inheritance you leave behind. Estate planning can help you: set up trusts for your kids. divide up property. direct charitable donations. reduce your estate's administrative costs. eliminate or reduce gift and estate taxes. protect your estate from mismanagement. protect your estate from the claims of creditors and exes. The shortest known wills are only three words long, reading "all to son" and "all to wife." Related articles RAISING A FAMILY Estate Planning 101: What's Included in an Estate Plan RAISING A FAMILY The Estate Planning Process: 6 Steps to Take CARING FOR A LOVED ONE What Is a Trust? Everything You Need to Know Find What You're Looking for at Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual General Disclaimer Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries. Life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits are issued by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM). Long-term care insurance is issued by Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, (NLTC) a subsidiary of NM. Investment brokerage services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, and member FINRA and SIPC. Investment advisory and trust services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC), Milwaukee, WI, a subsidiary of NM and a federal savings bank. Products and services referenced are offered and sold only by appropriately appointed and licensed entities and financial advisors and professionals. Not all products and services are available in all states. Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with "Advisor" in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services. Northwestern Mutual Footer Navigation About Us Newsroom Careers Information Protection Business Services Contact Us FAQs Legal Notice Sitemap Privacy Notices Connect with us Facebook iconConnect with us on Facebook Twitter iconFollow Northwestern Mutual on Twitter LinkedIn iconVisit Northwestern Mutual on LinkedIn Instagram iconFollow Northwestern Mutual on Instagram YouTube iconConnect with Northwestern Mutual on YouTube Over 6,400 Financial Advisors and Professionals Nationwide* Find an Advisor Footer Copyright *Based on Northwestern Mutual internal data, not applicable exclusively to disability insurance products. Copyright © 2021 The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI. All Rights Reserved. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries.