Estate planning:Estate planning made simple.
Personalized estate planning services to help you honor your wishes.
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Only 34% of Americans have an estate plan.*
(And it’s our goal to change that!)
Life’s full of surprises, but your legacy shouldn’t be one of them. Whether you’re just starting a family or nearing retirement, an estate plan helps to ensure your wishes are known, your loved ones are protected from unnecessary stress and your future finances are kept on track.
Everyone can benefit from an estate plan. Here’s why:
- Clarity and control: You get to decide how your assets are distributed and who will care for your loved ones in your absence. (And how you’d like to receive end-of-life care!)
- Minimize family burdens: A clear estate plan can reduce confusion and potential conflict among beneficiaries during an already emotional time.
- Financial security for your heirs: By minimizing taxes and legal fees, trust & will estate planning can help your loved ones inherit more of what you’ve built.
Simple, accessible estate planning.
Let’s face it—thinking about estate planning isn’t always at the top of our to-do lists. But with our new partners at wealth.com, a leading online estate planning platform, we’re able to offer our members even more comprehensive and accessible estate planning solutions.
Why wealth.com?
Expert estate plans
Estate planning consultants create personalized estate plans that consider your unique needs and state laws. They ensure your assets are distributed as you wish, while also providing care for your loved ones, including your furry companions.
Easy to use
The guided, easy-to-navigate platform and live support make the process simple, seamless, and self-paced. If needed, you can also consult a vetted attorney in your state at a discounted rate.
Evolves with you
Just like life (and your financial planning), your estate plan should evolve. With proactive monitoring and unlimited updates for just $150 per year, keeping your estate plan up to date has never been simpler or more affordable.
Secure and accessible
Featuring multi-layer authentication, encryption, and advanced security measures, wealth.com helps ensure your financial and personal information are protected and secure.
Estate Planning services provided by wealth.com, the fee is non-refundable and covers their services. Facet is not an attorney and does not provide tax or legal advice or directly prepare legal documents. Tax laws and regulations are complex and subject to change, consult a tax professional regarding your specific situation. Wealth.com is a separate membership service that automatically renews for Complete members as part of your Facet membership renewal. For Core and Plus members, Wealth.com automatically renews for an annual fee dependent upon services selected, unless this service is canceled prior to renewal.
How Facet memberships work.
Our flat-fee membership model means no commissions
Support from a team of CFP® professionals and experts.
Secure, industry-leading technology to manage and organize your entire financial life in one place.
Exclusive partner offers that complement your financial outcomes.
“We felt more comfortable with the Facet approach, which was a fixed fee that works within your budget.”
Brad and Cat
Oregon
Alyssa G.
California
“I’ve always just sort of felt really uncomfortable with like opening bills, looking at my bank account, and I end up just kind of ignoring the problem until it gets problematic. With Facet it has been such a relief for me”
Jonathan U.
California
“The fee structure is probably the other biggest thing that sent me to Facet and it’s made me very happy with Facet. It puts us at an equal footing with anybody else. It’s not about how much money I have managed by Facet. It’s about us as a client…and as we grow our finances, the attention we get is not gonna change. We’re still a client paying for our Facet services with a fee structure that supports us as just a couple, not as a set of assets.”
Sarah & Michael D.
North Carolina
Frequently asked questions.
Why do I need an estate plan?
Having an up-to-date plan in place to protect your health, your wealth, and your loved ones should be a foundational element of any ongoing plan for your money. It’s just as important to protect your money as it is to grow it and use it well in support of the life you want for you and your family.
Having an updated estate plan is crucial because it allows you to establish a plan for where your money and other assets go, who takes care of your loved ones and pets, who can make decisions for you if needed, and other important matters.
Without an estate plan, it can take months to several years to settle your estate and create a great deal of stress, and expense, for your family.
What is typically included in an estate plan?
An estate plan isn’t just one document. It’s a collection of legal tools that ensure your wishes are respected. Here are the key documents every estate plan should include:
A will
A will is the foundation of your estate plan. It outlines how your assets—money, property, and other belongings—will be distributed after you pass away. You’ll name someone (an executor) who will manage your affairs and file the will in court when you pass, a process called probate. If you have young children, you can also name someone (a guardian) to care for them.
Note: A will doesn’t cover jointly-owned accounts or retirement accounts and life insurance policies with designated beneficiaries. In these situations, the ownership (i.e. titling) or beneficiary designations supersede the will.
Example: Let’s say you have a 401(k) through work and you name a sibling or a parent as the beneficiary. Then, down the road, you get married and start a family, but you forget to update your beneficiaries. If you pass away, your 401(k) will go to the named beneficiary even if your will states that you want this money going to your partner.
A financial power of attorney (FPOA)
An FPOA allows you to designate someone (your “agent”) to handle your financial matters if you’re unable to. They can pay bills, manage investments, and file taxes on your behalf. There are two types:
- One that takes effect immediately, allowing your agent to act even if you’re still able to make decisions.
- One that has a “springing” power that becomes active if you become incapacitated.
Healthcare power of attorney (HCPOA) or advanced directives
An HCPOA names someone to make medical decisions for you (again, your “agent”) if you’re unable to. Without it, medical professionals may make decisions on your behalf without consulting your family. Advance directives are instructions outlining the care you want (or don’t want) in specific situations, such as end-of-life care.
A revocable trust
A trust often sounds more involved than it is. It’s a legal document that explains how you want to manage the things you own (i.e. your property, savings, and investments) after you pass. It helps your family avoid probate, provides privacy, and allows you to control how your money will be managed. And it can be changed or canceled at any time, offering flexibility.
What is the difference between a will and a trust?
The key differences are that a will often goes through probate, and is typically public. A trust is designed to avoid probate, and keeps your info private. The wealth.com trust package includes a 30-minute consultation with a trust and estate attorney through wealth.com’s attorney network at no extra cost.
A will is a legal document that outlines how your assets should be distributed after you pass. It also allows you to name guardians for minor children and appoint an executor to manage your estate. Unless the value of your estate is small enough (which varies by state), most wills go through probate, a court process that can take months or even years. Typically, wills are also part of the public record, meaning anyone can see the details once probate is complete.
A trust, on the other hand, is a legal arrangement where you transfer ownership of your assets to a trustee, who manages them for you or for others based on the terms you set. A trust can take effect immediately and can be used both during your lifetime and after you pass. Unlike a will, a trust is designed to avoid probate, making the process quicker, less costly, and more private.
What are my options for getting an estate plan?
There are multiple options for getting or updating an estate plan, but the most important thing is to have one that’s high-quality and up to date. The best solution usually combines three things: a personalized approach, high-quality work, and affordability (i.e. a fair price).
There are three main options for getting or updating an estate plan:
- Online services: Some online and digital services are inexpensive but offer boilerplate solutions (i.e. they lack personalization) which means they also lack quality.
- Attorneys: In-person attorneys offer personalization, but they can cost you $3,000, if not more. And then you have the task of vetting attorneys. In our opinion, these solutions could be helpful for certain situations but they may not be perfect fits and may have their own drawbacks.
- Online platform backed by attorneys: A self-guided online platform gives you high-quality, state-specific estate plans, backed by experts and attorneys, with customer support when you need it. In our opinion, these are the best estate planning services because they combine personalization, quality, affordability, and an easy-to-use technology platform.
What does having a quality estate plan mean?
A quality estate plan includes all the high-caliber documents you need, is optimized for your state (because laws are different in each state), and is up to date, including proactive monitoring of new and changed laws that can have an impact on your documents.
Here are the risks when you don’t have quality, up-to-date estate planning documents:
- No one to make important decisions: If you’re hurt or sick and can’t make decisions (i.e. you’re incapacitated), there may be no one to make time-sensitive medical decisions or to manage your day-to-day finances. Your family would have to go to court to be appointed as your guardian so they can legally make decisions for you.
- Uncertainty for your loved ones: Without proper instructions, state law and the courts determine how your estate is handled. This means your family may lack clarity and control (and face added stress) during an already trying time.
- A lengthy, and costly, process: Your family could face a lengthy and expensive legal process. Probate typically costs 3-7% of your total estate’s value. This process can also tie up your assets for months, leaving your family in financial limbo.
- No privacy: You generally have to share all of your personal financial information with the courts and that information is made public. The information isn’t proactively shared, but it is made available should someone want to see it.
- Outdated documents: Your plan should evolve as your life, financial situation, and estate laws change. Major events like marriage, divorce, starting a family, buying a home, or moving (especially out of state) all require updates. Without them, your wishes may not be honored, and your documents could become invalid.
Why would I need to update my estate plan once I create it?
Without an updated plan, your wishes may not be honored, and your documents could become invalid.
Your estate plan should evolve as your life, financial situation, and estate laws change. Major events like marriage, divorce, starting a family, buying a home, children reaching 18 years old, or moving (especially out of state), to name a few, all require updates. It’s also important that you proactively monitor new and changed laws that can have an impact on your documents.
You might also simply have a change of heart as life situations evolve, and your estate plan should reflect your most up to date wishes. If you don’t review and revise your plan, your estate could end up in the hands of someone that it is no longer intended for.
Keeping your plan updated helps ensure your latest wishes are respected.
Why work with a financial advisor for estate planning?
Think of estate planning like building a custom home — you could do it yourself, but working with an estate planning financial advisor gives you an experienced architect who sees the whole picture. At Facet, we don’t just help with paperwork — we look at how your estate plan fits into your complete financial roadmap, from retirement planning to investment decisions.
We know that one size definitely doesn’t fit all when planning your legacy. That’s why our investment philosophy is built around creating solutions that actually match who you are and what matters to you. Estate planning ensures your wishes are crystal clear and your loved ones are taken care of exactly how you want.