Planned giving:
A great way to leave a legacy

Estate planning is a way of creating a blueprint of your assets and your family's financial future after you've passed away. It determines who will inherit your assets and in what amounts, who will disburse your assets, and to some extent, how much your estate may owe in federal income taxes and administrative costs. Below are a few checklists that can help you plan for the future of your estate:

Planning for your future well-being:

• Health Care Directive Checklist
• Living Will Checklist
• Medical Power of Attorney Checklist

• Last Will and Testament Checklist
• Power of Attorney Checklist

Health Care Directive Checklist

Purpose: A Health Care Directive may combine the elements of a Medical Power of Attorney with a Living Will. A Medical Power of Attorney allows you to appoint someone to make health care decisions for you if you are incapacitated. A Living Will communicates your wishes on what treatments you would or would not like to receive in the event of your incapacitation. By following the checklists for both documents, you can bring all of your information in to your attorney. Your attorney can help you draft a document that states all of your wishes for your health care.

Living Will Checklist

Before drafting your living will:

1. Educate yourself: Conduct basic research on wills. Good resources for basic information include the American Bar Association, www.abanet.org, and review sample forms at www.lawdepot.com.
   
2. Gather ideas: Based on your research, compile any questions or concerns you might discuss with an attorney. Write down any ideas you have on what you wish to document in your will.
   
3. Inform your family: Discuss your initial ideas with your loved ones to let them know your wishes.
   
4. Get your facts ready: Prior to visiting your attorney and/or drafting your will, compile the following information:

• Your full name
• Your full address
• Your gender
• Your marital status
• Your wishes if you are ever in a terminal condition or an irreversible condition. These wishes may include issues such as life support, food and water and comfort care.
• Add any additional instructions you may have


5. Consult with an attorney: Visit your attorney with this information and any outstanding questions or other issues. Once this document is ready to be finalized you can:
• Sign and date the document
• List the city and state where you signed your will

Medical Power of Attorney Checklist

Before drafting your living will:

1. Educate yourself: Conduct basic research on a Medical Power of Attorney. Good resources for basic information include the American Bar Association, www.abanet.org, and review sample forms at www.lawdepot.com.
   
2. Gather ideas: Based on your research, compile any questions or concerns you might discuss with an attorney.
   
3. Inform your designee: : Discuss your decision to name him/her as your Health Care Representative.
   
4. Get your facts ready: Prior to visiting your attorney and/or drafting your Power of Attorney, compile the following information:

• Your full name
• Your full address
• Your gender
• Your marital status
• Appoint your health care representative (designee to act on your behalf) listing their full name, full address gender, and relationship to you. Note: If you wish to list more than one health care representative, you will need to list the same information for each additional person.
• Permit or decline permission for the health care representative to access your medical records.


5. Consult with an attorney: Visit your attorney with this information and any outstanding questions or other issues. Once this document is ready to be finalized you can:
• Sign and date the document
• List the city and state where you signed your medical power of attorney

Last Will and Testament Checklist

Before you draft your will:

1. Educate yourself: Conduct basic research on wills. Good resources for basic information include the American Bar Association, www.abanet.org, and review sample forms at www.lawdepot.com.
   
2. Gather ideas: Based on your research, compile any questions or concerns you might discuss with an attorney. Write down any ideas you have on what you wish to document in your will.
   
3. Inform your family: Discuss your initial ideas with your loved ones to let them know your wishes.
   
4. Get your facts ready: Prior to visiting your attorney and/or drafting your will, compile the following information:

• Your full name
• Your full address
• Your gender
• Your marital status
• Appoint your executor(s)/executrix(es) listing their full name(s), full address and gender.
• List your children (natural and adopted). Note: If you want your stepchildren to be included, they must be listed by name.
• List your grandchildren if you want them included.
• Specific gifts, a list of who you want to have particular property.
• Distribution of residue of estate, a list of who or what organization you want to distribute a percentage (or entirety) of the remainder of your estate after specific gifts are made
• List any additional clauses


5. Consult with an attorney: Visit your attorney with this information and any outstanding questions or other issues. Once this document is ready to be finalized you can:
• Sign and date the document with at least two witnesses who are NOT beneficiaries of your estate
• List the city and state where you signed your will with witnesses


6. Notify: Inform any charity benefiting from your estate so that they may confirm they will fulfill your intention. If you are considering the Dallas County Community Colleges Foundation, please call us at 214-860-2053.

Power of Attorney Checklist

Purpose: A Power of Attorney is a document that gives someone else the authority to act on your behalf on matters that you specify. The power can be specific to a certain task or broad to cover many financial duties. The power can be given to start immediately, or upon mental incapacity.

Before you draft your will:

1. Educate yourself: Conduct basic research on the types of Powers of Attorney. Good resources for basic information include the American Bar Association, www.abanet.org, and review sample forms at www.lawdepot.com.
   
2. Gather ideas: Based on your research, compile any questions or concerns you might discuss with an attorney.
   
3. Inform your designee: Discuss your decision to name him/her as your Power of Attorney.
   
4. Get your facts ready: Prior to visiting your attorney and/or drafting your Power of Attorney, compile the following information:

• Your full name
• Your full address
• Your gender
• Your marital status
• Appoint your attorney-in-fact (designee to act on your behalf) listing their full name, full address and gender. Note: If you wish to list more than one attorney-in-fact, you will need to list the same information for each additional person.
• State the type of Power of Attorney that will be held
• Select the powers the Attorney-in-fact may have on your behalf and list any restrictions.
• List any other issues that may be related to the Attorney-in-fact
• Note an end date, if any, to the Power of Attorney


5. Consult with an attorney: Visit your attorney with this information and any outstanding questions or other issues. Once this document is ready to be finalized you can:
• Sign and date the document with at least two witnesses
• List the city and state where you signed your power of attorney with witnesses

To the right are several ways to name the Dallas County Community College District Foundation as the recipient of your estate. Simply click on each item to learn more. For more information, send your questions by clicking here or call the Foundation at 214-860-2053.

> Charitable Remainder Trusts

> Giving Appreciated Securities

> Giving Personal Property

> Giving Real Estate

> Life Insurance Gifts

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