ESTATE PLANNING OPTIONS
Estate Planning for Your Family, Property, and Future
Estate planning helps you make decisions about who may act for you, how your property may be managed, and who may receive it. Fortis Planning helps families understand trust-based plans, will-based plans, and powers of attorney—and how these tools may work together. We serve families in Oregon and Washington. The laws and documents that apply depend on the state and your circumstances.
Based in Oregon • Serving families in many states across the U.S.
ESTATE PLANNING OPTIONS
Estate Planning for Your Family, Property, and Future
Estate planning helps you make decisions about who may act for you, how your property may be managed, and who may receive it. Fortis Planning helps families understand trust-based plans, will-based plans, and powers of attorney—and how these tools may work together. We serve families in Oregon and Washington. The laws and documents that apply depend on the state and your circumstances.
Based in Oregon • Serving families in many states across the U.S.
ESTATE PLANNING EDUCATION & COORDINATION
Trust-Based Estate Planning for Families Who Want Clarity and Control
We come to you when signatures matter.
Fortis Planning helps families understand and coordinate trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and legacy planning: with a clear, educational process designed to protect the people and property that matter most.
Based in Oregon • Serving families in many states across the U.S.
ESTATE PLANNING EDUCATION & COORDINATION
Trust-Based Estate Planning for Families Who Want Clarity and Control
We come to you when signatures matter.
Fortis Planning helps families understand and coordinate trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and legacy planning: with a clear, educational process designed to protect the people and property that matter most.
Based in Oregon • Serving families in many states across the U.S.
ESTATE PLANNING OPTIONS
Estate Planning for Your Family, Property, and Future
Estate planning helps you make decisions about who may act for you, how your property may be managed, and who may receive it. Fortis Planning helps families understand trust-based plans, will-based plans, and powers of attorney—and how these tools may work together. We serve families in Oregon and Washington. The laws and documents that apply depend on the state and your circumstances.
WHY ESTATE PLANNING MATTERS
A Plan Can Address More Than What Happens After Death
Some estate planning documents address what happens to property after death. Others can identify who may help manage financial or health care decisions while you are living but unable to act or communicate. A thoughtful plan considers both timeframes and how each document fits your goals.
An estate plan may help you:
Name people you trust to carry out specific responsibilities.
Give instructions for distributing property that is covered by your plan.
Plan for a time when you may not be able to make or communicate decisions.
Consider how your documents, ownership, and beneficiary designations work together.
CORE PLANNING TOOLS
Three Important Parts of Estate Planning
Trust-Based
Estate Planning
A trust-based plan centers on a living trust. The trust can provide instructions for managing property placed in it during your lifetime and for distributing that property after death. A successor trustee may take over responsibilities under the trust if you are unable to serve. A trust only addresses assets properly transferred to it or otherwise covered by its terms, and it does not replace every other estate-planning document.
A properly funded trust may allow some assets to pass outside probate, depending on the property and applicable state law. Whether a trust is appropriate depends on your goals, assets, family circumstances, and the advice of a licensed attorney.
A will provides instructions for property that is part of your probate estate after death. Depending on state law, it may also nominate a personal representative and name a preferred guardian for minor children. A will by itself generally does not avoid probate for property distributed under it, and it does not authorize someone to manage your affairs while you are living but unable to act.
Will-Based
Estate Planning
Powers of Attorney
A financial power of attorney can authorize someone you choose to handle financial matters described in the document. A medical or health care power of attorney, advance directive, or related document may let you state health care wishes and/or name someone to make health care decisions if you cannot. Names, forms, scope, and requirements vary by state. These documents address decisions during your lifetime; they do not determine who inherits property after death.
HOW THE TOOLS DIFFER
How Are Trusts, Wills, and Powers of Attorney Different?
Trust-based plan: Can guide management and distribution of assets held in or covered by the trust during life and after death. Assets must be properly transferred or otherwise covered for the trust to address them. One of the BIG benefits is that if properly structured and funded, will avoid the time and expense of probate.
Will-based plan: Gives instructions for probate property after death in all 50 states. A will alone does not avoid probate for property transferred under the will.
Power of attorney and health care documents: Can authorize or identify trusted decision-makers for specified financial or health care matters while you are living. The authority depends on the document and applicable state law. This covers you if you are incapacitated or unable to make decisions on your own.
These options can complement one another. For example, a trust-based plan may also include a will and powers of attorney. The right combination depends on your circumstances.
A will and a living trust can serve different roles, and the differences are not limited to cost or paperwork. They may differ in when they operate, which property they address, whether probate is involved, and how property is managed. A closer comparison can help you prepare questions for an attorney.
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS
A Clear Process for Exploring Your Options
Start With a Conversation
Share what you want your plan to address, what you already have, and what feels unclear. You do not need to know which documents you need before starting the conversation.
Understand Your Options
We can provide general education about common planning approaches and help you understand questions to raise with an attorney. We do not make legal recommendations for your individual situation.
Coordinate Your Plan
When you’re ready to move forward, we’ll coordinate with licensed professionals familiar with your state’s requirements. We can support document signing, trust funding, and future reviews as your family’s needs change.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Common Estate-Planning Questions
Is estate planning only for people with significant wealth?
No. Estate planning can help people make plans for property, responsibilities, and future decisions at many stages of life. The documents and level of planning that may be appropriate depend on each person’s situation.
Does a living trust replace a will?
Not necessarily. A trust-based plan may also include a will, such as a pour-over will, and other documents. An attorney can explain which documents may be appropriate and how they work together under your state’s laws.
Does a living trust automatically avoid probate?
No. A trust may help assets pass outside probate when they are properly transferred to or otherwise covered by the trust. Property left outside the trust may be handled differently, depending on ownership, beneficiary designations, and applicable law.
Are powers of attorney part of an estate plan?
They can be. Financial and health care documents may identify who can act or make decisions for you during your lifetime if you cannot act or communicate. Their names, authority, and requirements vary by state.
Getting Started
YOUR NEXT STEP
You don’t need to have everything figured out before we talk. Share what you want to protect, the questions you have about your planning options, or the decisions you’re trying to make. We’ll listen and help you identify a clear next step.
Estate planning education and coordination to help families protect what matters most.
By Appointment Only
CONTACT
Hours:
8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST
Monday through Saturday
By appointment only
After-hours by request
Oregon Address
7307 SW Beveland St Ste 200 Tigard, OR 97223
Fortis Planning, LLC provides estate planning education and coordination. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal, tax, accounting, or investment advice. Legal documents are prepared and reviewed by licensed attorneys in the applicable state. Consult qualified professionals about your individual circumstances.
Copyright: © 2026 Fortis Planning, LLC. All rights reserved.