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Will Planning: 4 Insider Tips

Proper planning includes involving the right people. Here’s why an attorney is a vital partner in your will planning process.

  1. I already have a will, so I’m all set, right?

    Not necessarily. Unlike antiques and wine, a will doesn’t improve with age. Many things in your life might have changed since you first created your will—a divorce or remarriage, a new child or grandchild, revised tax laws, a move to another state, or valuable new assets.

    An estate planning attorney can help you determine if it’s time to breathe new life into your outdated will and can make recommendations for updating it based on your current circumstances.

  2. The internet can help me write my will for free. Why should I pay for the services of an estate planning attorney?

    Do-it-yourself will kits may be widely available online, but there are no safeguards to ensure that they’re accurate and that the generated documents are implemented correctly. There’s more to writing a will than just filling in the blanks.

    A qualified estate planning attorney can help you protect your assets, minimize taxes, and find the best ways to provide for your loved ones and the causes that are important to you, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

  3. I just finished writing and updating my will. Planning done!

    Not so fast. Your will doesn’t cover everything in your estate. The beneficiary designation forms for your retirement plan and life insurance policies dictate who will receive these assets. Keep your beneficiaries up to date so that your assets end up with your intended recipients.

    As part of the will planning process, your attorney will review these accounts to ensure that they coordinate with your overall plans.

  4. MSK is important to me. How can I continue to support MSK’s research and care after my lifetime?

    Including MSK in your plans is a thoughtful way to help our scientists advance medical discoveries. It’s also your opportunity to give voice to the values you live your life by.

    There are many ways to remember MSK in your will or other financial plans. Your attorney can help you find the gift that best meets your family’s needs and charitable goals.

We’re Here to Help

In addition to providing peace of mind, your will and other financial plans provide a flexible way to support MSK well into the future. To learn how you can make a future gift to help MSK improve the quality of life for patients, contact giftplanning@mskcc.org or 800-688-1827.

Learn More

Download MSK’s complimentary Estate Planning Guide.

View my guide

Is MSK already included in your estate plans?

A charitable bequest is one or two sentences in your will or living trust that leave to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center a specific item, an amount of money, a gift contingent upon certain events or a percentage of your estate.

An individual or organization designated to receive benefits or funds under a will or other contract, such as an insurance policy, trust, or retirement plan.

I bequeath to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, a New York nonprofit corporation having a principal place of business at 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, Federal Tax ID #13-1924236, ____percent of my total estate (or $_____, or other property) to be used or disposed of as Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in its sole discretion deems appropriate.

able to be changed or cancelled

A revocable living trust is set up during your lifetime and can be revoked at any time before death. They allow assets held in the trust to pass directly to beneficiaries without probate court proceedings and can also reduce federal estate taxes.

cannot be changed or cancelled

tax on gifts generally paid by the person making the gift rather than the recipient

the original value of an asset, such as stock, before its appreciation or depreciation

the growth in value of an asset like stock or real estate since the original purchase

the price a willing buyer and willing seller can agree on

The person receiving the gift annuity payments.

the part of an estate left after debts, taxes and specific bequests have been paid

a written and properly witnessed legal change to a will

the person named in a will to manage the estate, collect the property, pay any debt, and distribute property according to the will

A donor-advised fund is an account that you set up but which is managed by a nonprofit organization. You contribute to the account, which grows tax-free. You can recommend how much (and how often) you want to distribute money from that fund to MSK or other charities. You cannot direct the gifts.

An endowed gift can create a new endowment or add to an existing endowment. The principal of the endowment is invested and a portion of the principal’s earnings are used each year to support our mission.

Tax on the growth in value of an asset—such as real estate or stock—since its original purchase.

Securities, real estate, or any other property having a fair market value greater than its original purchase price.

Real estate can be a personal residence, vacation home, timeshare property, farm, commercial property, or undeveloped land.

A charitable remainder trust provides you or other named individuals income each year for life or a period not exceeding 20 years from assets you give to the trust you create.

You give assets to a trust that pays our organization set payments for a number of years, which you choose. The longer the length of time, the better the potential tax savings to you. When the term is up, the remaining trust assets go to you, your family or other beneficiaries you select. This is an excellent way to transfer property to family members at a minimal cost.

You fund this type of trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. You can also make additional gifts; each one also qualifies for a tax deduction. The trust pays you, each year, a variable amount based on a fixed percentage of the fair market value of the trust assets. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to MSK as a lump sum.

You fund this trust with cash or appreciated assets—and may qualify for a federal income tax charitable deduction when you itemize. Each year the trust pays you or another named individual the same dollar amount you choose at the start. When the trust terminates, the remaining principal goes to MSK as a lump sum.

A beneficiary designation clearly identifies how specific assets will be distributed after your death.

A charitable gift annuity involves a simple contract between you and MSK where you agree to make a gift to MSK and we, in return, agree to pay you (and someone else, if you choose) a fixed amount each year for the rest of your life.

A tax imposed at one's death on the transfer of most types of property. Currently federal estate taxes are assessed in 2024 on estates worth more than $11.2 million. The maximum estate tax rate is 40 percent. Some states also impose taxes at death that vary depending on state law.

A written legal instrument created by a grantor for the benefit of him/herself (during life) or others (during life or at death).

A revocable trust established by a grantor during his or her lifetime in which the grantor transfers some or all of his or her property into the trust.

Equity or debt instruments, typically shares listed on a stock exchange, which can be readily bought or sold.