When the ‘Queen of Soul’ Aretha Franklin died last year, it was believed that she hadn’t prepared any kind of estate plan, including a last will and testament. However, a few months ago, three handwritten wills were found in her home near Detroit. Two were in a locked closet and one was stuffed beneath the cushions of a couch!

Thanks to the Internet, everyone has the ability to draft wills, trusts and a variety of other legal documents. Many documents can be produced for less than $100, requiring only a few mouse clicks and filled-in blanks.

The word ‘estate’ conjures images of great wealth, which may be one of the reasons why so many people don’t develop estate plans—after all, they’re not rich, so why make the effort? In reality, however, if you have a family, you can probably benefit from estate planning, whatever your asset level.

Leaving a legacy — sounds like something only wealthy people can do, right? It can be something like making a giant bequest to a university or passing on a significant estate to your children.

A well-executed estate plan is a thing of beauty – but make sure you aren’t neglecting some of the equally important parts of the process.

After putting in several decades of hard work so you could retire comfortably, it’s finally time to pull the plug. As you begin to set your retirement dreams in motion, hold on. It’s not quite time to unwind just yet.