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Illustration: Sergio Baradat

Quiz: Estate Planning
Compiled by Timothy Haas

A will may be the most important legal document you’ll ever have to deal with. Though some people find it emotionally difficult, the process of making one is usually short and straightforward—if you avoid key traps. Do you know the details well enough to keep the transfer of your assets and belongings as painless as possible? Take this quick quiz to find out.

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Sites to See: Estate Planning

1.	If you die intestate (without a will), who receives the proceeds of your estate?
	Your spouse
	Your children
	The government
	Depends on where you live

2.	Even though do-it-yourself books and computer programs abound, when is it particularly advisable to have a lawyer draw up your will
	If you have minor children
	If you’re over 65
	If your total assets are worth more than $1 million
	Always


3.	Whom are you required to select as the executor of your will?
	Your lawyer
	Your spouse
	Someone who isn’t mentioned in your will
	Anyone you’d like

4.	Why can’t residents of Louisiana use self-help will-preparation materials?
	State law forbids it
	Their legal system is different from that of the rest of the U.S.
	Pepper sauce damages the software

5.	Where should you register your will after it’s been written and signed?
	Your lawyer’s office
	The county probate office
	The state vital statistics bureau
	None of the above

6.	What’s the best way to make a major change to your will?
	Cross out what you want to change, and write in the new text
	Write a new will, and destroy the old one
	Tack an addition, known as a codicil, onto the end

7.	Which of the following life occurrences should trigger a review of your will?
	Death of a spouse or child
	Separation or divorce
	Birth of a grandchild
	Sudden income change
	All of the above

8.	Which of the following cannot be handled in your will?
	Bequeathing of real estate
	Naming a guardian for your minor children
	Dictating your preferred methods of medical care in the event that you become incapacitated
	Directing your executor to sell certain assets to pay taxes

9.	What happens if you make a will as a resident of one state but then move to another state and die without ever changing it?
	The will is invalidated
	Nothing—a valid will is accepted in any state
	Your executor must probate the will where it was signed
	The court in your new state must be petitioned to accept the will







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