Many Americans have the misperception that estate planning
is simply preparing for one’s death and is only necessary for the affluent. To
the contrary, estate planning is as much about passing values to loved ones as
it is about passing material possessions.

 Thus it should come as no surprise that a recent Forbes article describes estate planning as “the most important love letters
you’ll ever write,” encouraging readers to “find inspiration in knowing that
you’re caring for the people and causes you love, even if you’re not here
anymore.”

 The Forbes article correctly concludes that estate planning
is for every American (other than minors), and that everyone should
successfully complete “thoughtfully prepared estate planning documents.” The
complexity of those documents may change for more affluent Americans, but the
need to care for loved ones and causes exists for everyone. And working with a
qualified estate planner in the San Francisco Bay Area helps enlighten people as to all
they can accomplish through the estate planning process.

 The full article, titled The Most Important Love Letters You’ll Ever
Write
, is available online at http://www.forbes.com/sites/timmaurer/2012/02/16/the-most-important-love-letters-youll-ever-write/.