The most important part of estate planning is a will. A will is a document that specifies how a person's property will be distributed upon death. Any person 18 years old or older and of sound mind can make a will in the state of Ohio.

A will should be executed, signed and witness by two people. In the will, you may name the person (executor) you want to manage your estate upon death. If you don't make a will, the probate court will need to appoint someone as the administrator of your estate.

You can change the details in a will throughout your lifetime by drafting a new will to replace it. There are specifics about how to make and execute a will in Ohio that should be overseen by an attorney to make sure you have done everything properly in accordance with the law.

An important part of getting your personal finances in order is with estate planning and the greater Cincinnati area has plenty of attorneys and firms that specialize in this. Estate planning attorneys will help you determine your goals and objectives for your estate and then work with you to draft estate documents to achieve those goals. They will also provide follow-up meetings to make sure the estate documents are still current and the goals and objectives of the estate documents have not changed.

Estate planning involves preparing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills and working within the current tax laws to ensure that estate survivors get the maximum value out of the estate. Attorneys are well-versed in tax and estate law and know how to draft estate documents and wills.

You can find an attorney versed in wills and other estate planning by visiting the Cincinnati Bell Yellow Pages.