Protect the people who matter most.

Estate planning includes the documents that say who makes decisions on your behalf, who cares for your children, and how your assets are distributed, along with making sure your accounts and beneficiaries line up with those wishes. That typically means a will, powers of attorney, a healthcare directive, guardianship designations if you have minor children, and sometimes a trust, plus the beneficiary designations and account titling that work alongside those documents.

We review what you already have, help you identify gaps and questions for an attorney, and help implement the plan once your documents are in place. We aren't attorneys and don't draft legal documents, but we look at your estate plan from a financial planning perspective and help point you toward the right resource, then follow through on the financial pieces, like updating beneficiaries and retitling accounts.

It depends on your family situation, where you live, and what you own, so we don't assume every household needs a trust. A will directs your assets and names guardians for minor children, but generally has to go through probate. A trust can allow certain assets to avoid probate and offers more control over how and when assets are distributed, but it only works if it's properly funded. Whether a trust is worth the added complexity and cost depends on your state's laws, the types of accounts and property you have, and your goals, which we talk through with you.

Estate documents let you name who would care for your children and how their financial support would be handled if something happened to you. A will typically names a guardian, and a trust or custodial provisions can direct how and when money is used on their behalf until they reach adulthood. We help you confirm these decisions are made and reflected consistently across your documents and accounts.

No. Accounts with a named beneficiary, like retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and many investment accounts, pass directly to that beneficiary regardless of what your will says. Jointly owned property often passes directly to the co-owner as well. This is why an outdated beneficiary designation can override your will's intent, and why we review beneficiaries and account ownership as part of your plan.

Funding a trust means retitling accounts and property into the trust's name, or naming the trust as beneficiary, so it actually controls those assets. A trust that's signed but never funded generally doesn't accomplish what it was created for, since there's nothing in it to govern. We help identify which accounts should be retitled or have the trust named as beneficiary, based on your documents and your attorney's guidance.

Review it after a major life change and periodically even without one. That includes the birth of a child, a move to a new state, marriage, divorce, or the death of someone named in your documents. We also recommend a general review every few years, since account rules and your own goals can shift even when nothing dramatic has happened.

We help you review your needs, choose a document-preparation resource, and implement your estate plan. Documents are prepared through Trust & Will or your attorney; Novak Financial Partners does not draft legal documents or provide legal advice. Our planning and coordination are included in your ongoing fee. Provider fees are separate.