The five documents most estate plans are missing

Why a will alone leaves gaps

A will speaks after you are gone, and only about property. It says nothing about who pays your bills if you are in a hospital for three weeks, who talks to your doctors, or who can open your mail. Those gaps get filled by a court unless you fill them first.

• Financial power of attorney, so someone can handle money while you are unable to
• Healthcare power of attorney, so someone can make medical decisions for you
• HIPAA authorization, so that person can actually be told anything

The other two most people skip

The last two are less dramatic and just as useful. One states your wishes about care in writing. The other saves your family a scavenger hunt.

1. A living will, which puts your treatment preferences in writing instead of leaving them to memory.
2. A letter of instruction listing accounts, insurance policies, and where the originals are kept.
3. Updated beneficiary designations, because those forms outrank your will on the accounts they cover.

A will handles what happens after. Everything else on this list handles what happens in the meantime.

Where to start

Start with the two powers of attorney. They are the documents that matter while you are still here, and they are usually the fastest to put in place. Take the list to a licensed attorney in your state and ask which ones your situation actually needs.