SOUTH EL MONTE — Residents interested in preparing a will or trust have a new resource available at no cost. Free Estate Planning Tools are now available through LoveSEM, giving community members an online way to document their wishes and plan for their assets.
The Will & Trust Service Program connects users with FreeWill, an online estate-planning platform. The service can help users create a will or revocable living trust and plan beneficiary designations.
The program is available regardless of a person’s age or wealth, according to information provided by LoveSEM.
Free Estate Planning Tools Expand Access
Estate planning can help families document how they want property and other assets handled after death. The LoveSEM program gives community members a starting point without charging them to use the online tools.
Users can create a legal will or revocable living trust through FreeWill. The service does not include notary or recordation services.
FreeWill also states that it is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Its products serve as self-help tools and are not substitutes for advice from an attorney.
Information about FreeWill’s estate-planning services is available through FreeWill.
The program also includes a tool for planning beneficiary designations. Those designations can apply to assets that may pass directly to beneficiaries instead of through a will.
Examples can include retirement accounts, life insurance policies and certain financial accounts. FreeWill provides information about beneficiary designations and how its online tool works.
Charitable Giving Remains Optional
The program also allows participants to include charitable gifts in their estate plans.
Users can record an intended gift and identify an organization they want to support. They can also document the intended purpose of a contribution.
That feature gives people who support nonprofits, community groups or other causes another option for planning future contributions.
Charitable giving is not required to use the estate-planning resources. Community members can use the available tools without including a charitable gift.
LoveSEM is providing introductory information about the program in English, Spanish and Chinese. The multilingual materials are intended to make information about the service available to more families in South El Monte.
Residents can access the program through a QR code included in LoveSEM materials or through the LoveSEM website.
For people who have postponed creating a will or reviewing their estate plans, the program provides a free online place to begin. Free Estate Planning Tools may also help residents organize beneficiary decisions and document how they want assets distributed.
The service does not replace professional legal advice, particularly for people with complex estates or questions about their individual circumstances. Still, the LoveSEM program gives South El Monte community members access to basic estate-planning resources without the initial cost of using the online tools.
