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Life & Estate Planning

Can you imagine suddenly being incapacitated and unable to depend upon the person you most trust in the world to make important decisions on your behalf? Or dying and having your assets pass not to the partner or children you love but a so-called legal family member who you haven’t talked to in years?

Unfortunately, this happens to too many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people today. The reason: Due to the lack of access to marriage and other equal rights, the law routinely fails to recognize us as families.

While the fight for equality continues, establishing an estate plan is one thing you can do to help protect yourself and your loved one today. Estate planning consists of an array of legal documents that are drawn up, in consultation with attorney, to make your wishes known. You do not need to be wealthy to consider estate planning. You only need to care about what happens to the people you love in times of sickness and death. Learn some of the basic principles of estate planning. These articles, resources and FAQs will help you learn to ask the right questions, obtain professional guidance and make choices that are right for you.

For more information about life and estate planning for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, please contact Timothy Mahoney, deputy director for estate planning for the Human Rights Campaign.

Please keep in mind that the legal information and sample documents provided on the Human Rights Campaign website are for informational purposes only and may or may not be valid in your particular state. We strongly recommend that you consult a competent family or estate planning attorney who is familiar with these issues. It is also important that you understand that the information and sample legal documents provided here in no way constitute, and should not be relied upon, as legal advice.

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