4.17.2009

basic estate planning: a glossary

for a little help, below is a list of commonly used terms that you may come across when getting your act together:

- agent – a person who is authorized to act for another (the principal)

- beneficiary – the one who receives assets/property from a will, trust, estate

- community property – property and income that belongs jointly to a married couple

- estate – all that you own in property or assets

- executor- the person appointed to administer the estate of one who dies with a will

- guardian – a person appointed by the ct to take care of a child or incapacitated adult

- intestate – you die without a will

- personal representative – a generic term for an agent, an executor

- principal – the chief actor

- probate – the process of administering your will

- separate property – property that is owned separately by one spouse acquired through gift,
inheritance or property owned before the marriage

- testator- the one writing the will

- trust – something held by one party for the benefit of another- will – a written document directing the distribution of your estate

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