NAVIGATOR | Estate Planning

A comprehensive guide to generosity that is intentional, joyful, and aligned with your values – in life and beyond it.

MEET ROBERT

Robert had done what responsible people do. He hired an attorney. Signed a will and trust. Updated documents after major life events. Everything was technically correct. Then one evening, while trying to explain his estate plan to his adult daughter, he stopped mid-sentence.

“I think it works,” he said slowly, “I’m just not sure anyone else would know why it’s set up this way.” That realization unsettled him.

He didn’t fear death. He feared confusion. He feared silence where his voice should have been. Would his spouse know what to do first? Would his children understand decisions that might look unequal on paper? Would his intentions be assumed — or misunderstood? Robert realized something important: An estate plan that only works legally is incomplete. A good estate plan must also work relationally.

The real question wasn’t whether he had documents. It was deeper and more human: “Would my estate plan make sense — and feel right — to the people I love if I weren’t here to explain it?”

“Would my estate plan make sense — and feel right — to the people I love if I weren’t here to explain it?”

WHAT THIS NAVIGATOR IS:

A plain-language, human-centered guide to estate planning — designed to ensure your legal documents, financial structures, and personal intentions work together to protect your family from confusion, conflict, and unnecessary stress. This Navigator includes an Ethical Will — your voice to the next generation.

A CHECKLIST: To Help You Ask Some Important Questions.

Core Legal Foundations

☐ Do I have a current will?

☐ Do I have a trust, and is it properly funded?

☐ Are beneficiary designations aligned with my intent?

☐ Are medical powers of attorney current?

☐ Are financial powers of attorney current?

☐ Are healthcare directives complete and clear?

Clarity & Function

☐ Do I personally understand how my estate plan works?

☐ Could my spouse explain it without me?

☐ Are there contradictions between documents and account titles?

People & Roles

☐ Have I chosen the right executor?

☐ Have I chosen the right trustee?

☐ Do they know they’ve been chosen?

☐ Do they understand their responsibilities?

☐ Are backups named and informed?

Assets & Structure

☐ Are assets titled intentionally?

☐ Are retirement accounts coordinated with the estate plan?

☐ Is real estate addressed clearly?

☐ Are business interests handled properly?

Family Dynamics

☐ Have unequal outcomes been explained proactively?

☐ Are blended-family considerations addressed?

☐ Could silence here create resentment later?

Ethical Will (Human Layer)

☐ Have I explained why my estate is structured this way?

☐ Have I created an Ethical Will in my own voice?

☐ Does it explain values, not instructions?

☐ Does it reassure my family more than it directs them?

Access & Continuity

☐ Do loved ones know where documents are stored?

☐ Is there a clear “what to do first” guide?

☐ Would my plan reduce stress rather than add it?

THE ETHICAL WILL   An Ethical Will is not legal. It is relational. It answers the questions that documents never can:

• Why did you do this?

• What mattered most to you?

• What do you hope we carry forward?
  

It should include:

• Your story

• Your values

• Your view of money

• Your hopes for the next generation

• Explicit permission to live their own lives

• A clear statement that relationships matter more than assets
  

ACTION PLAN

1. Read your estate plan as if you were the survivor

2. Inventory all assets and how they’re titled

3. Align beneficiaries with actual intent

4. Confirm the right people are in the right roles

5. Simplify complexity where possible

6. Create a one-page estate summary (Who / What / Where / Why)

7. Write your Ethical Will (imperfect is fine)

8. Communicate intentions before they’re needed

9. Review and update regularly
   

WHAT TO DO NOW

Today

• Write one sentence starting with: “If my family remembers one thing about me, I hope it’s this…”
  

This Month

• Review all estate documents and beneficiary designations.

• Draft the first version of your Ethical Will.

• Identify any areas that could cause confusion or tension.
  

This Year

• Refine or record your Ethical Will.

• Decide how and when it should be shared.

• Revisit roles and responsibilities as life evolves.

Schedule a Conversation: Meet with your Gentian team to ensure your legal plan and human plan tell the same story — clearly, calmly, and with intention.

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gentian@raymondjames.com| 12740 N River Road, Mequon Wi 53092 | PH 262-518-7575

Any opinions are those of Gentian Financial and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Expressions of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. Hypothetical examples are for illustrative purposes only. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. Investing involves risk and you may incur a profit or loss regardless of strategy selected, including diversification and asset allocation. Prior to making an investment decision, please consult with your financial advisor about your individual situation. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. and Gentian Financial Inc. Gentian Financial, Inc. is not a registered broker/dealer, and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services.