By MOAA Staff

There’s no bad time to begin the estate planning process. Whether you’re a newly minted officer (or new parent) thinking about the far-off future, a career servicemember pondering retirement finances, or a doting grandparent looking to preserve a legacy of giving, there are steps you can take to give you and your family peace of mind.

No matter which step you’re considering, MOAA can help. Here’s a short list of links to MOAA resources and services designed to help with your estate planning needs.

Save With Everplans

Once you’ve assembled your estate plan, it’s no longer enough to wrap it in a binder or lock it in a filing cabinet. Everplans offers a digital vault to store your important documents and data – one that can be accessed by those who need the materials in the coming years even if they’re half a world away.

All MOAA members can save on Everplans products, with Life members saving the most. Visit MOAA.org/Everplans to access your savings, learn more about the product, and watch a webinar on how it works.

Recorded Webinars

These webinars, among MOAA’s most popular digital offerings, serve as great starting points for your estate planning process:

• What You Need to Know About Estate Planning covers a range of topics, touching on wills, trusts, retirement plans, tax considerations, and much more.
• Understand the Legal Aspects of Estate Planning addresses more complicated issues such as probate, but also walks viewers through creating “Grab and Go” books for both themselves and their estate.
• Effective Estate Planning, with special guest Daniel Kopp, MA, MS, CFP®, founder of Wise Stewardship Financial Planning, looks at how to to incorporate estate planning into a holistic financial profile, and understand the major factors that go into every estate plan.

Everyone can access these recordings by registering at the above links; Premium and Life members can access them, along with dozens of other recorded webinars, at MOAA’s Webinar Schedule and Archive page.

MOAA Publication: Estate Planning

This 20-page PDF, exclusive to Premium and Life members, offers a snapshot of the estate planning process, including important definitions, answers to common questions about key topics (living trusts, community property, and many more), and a look at charitable giving options.

Download the publication at this link (MOAA.org login required). Check out other MOAA-produced publications at MOAA.org/pubs.

Even More Resources

From the reasons to start your plan today to an in-depth look at charitable giving as an estate planning tool, MOAA’s financial and benefits experts frequently add materials to MOAA.org that may inform your financial goals. Visit MOAA.org/Finance for links to the latest material.

Add a Planned Gift to Your Estate Plans

When drafting your estate plans, consider leaving a planned gift, frequently referred to as a bequest, to The MOAA Foundation. A planned gift will help ensure generations of currently serving servicemembers, veterans, military families, surviving spouses, and caregivers from all ranks and branches have the support and resources they need to live a life reflective of their selfless service. 

A gift through your will, or a bequest, can be made in any amount and allows you continued access to your assets during your lifetime. It gives you the flexibility to care for your family and loved ones first and is easy to change at any time. A bequest could actually decrease your estate taxes! Some of the most common types of bequests include:

• A fixed-dollar amount
• A specific property or item
• A percentage of your estate
• The residual portion of your estate

Please contact MOAA at (800) 234-6622 or email charities@moaa.org to learn more about leaving a gift in your will.