An estate plan is arrangements made during one's lifetime for the distribution of one's estate. Estate planning involves not only planning for the distribution of the estate to beneficiaries but also for the succession of heirs to businesses, the distribution of personal property and mementos, and the planning for medical directives such as health care power of attorney, living wills, and durable power of attorney to insure that healthcare is carried out as desired. Estate planning is an involved process that should start early in life regardless of the size of the estate. As property and wealth is accumulated financial planners can be valuable in the estate planning process for setting up tax shelters and other trusts that will aid the family in avoiding excessive taxes on the estate at death.