The will is the centerpiece of an estate plan—and probably the best place to start—but there are other elements you should also consider that go well beyond the will.

For instance, you might find it helpful to set up a trust, which is a legal document that gives you the ability to set aside assets to be given to your beneficiaries when and how you dictate. There are many types of trusts that give you great flexibility in the way your assets are managed and allocated.

A trust can also help you and your family shelter assets from taxes, and, in many cases, it can help your heirs avoid probate court so that the assets flow directly to your beneficiaries.

Other important parts of an estate plan include a power of attorney, which grants authority to another person to make legal decisions on your behalf in the event that you are not able to do so; a living will, which stipulates the extent of medical measures that should be taken to keep you alive if you become unable to make those decisions on your own; and a health care proxy (or health care power of attorney) that appoints someone to make health care decisions for you in case you are not able to make those decisions.

Other components of an estate plan that you might also find helpful include a standby trust, which gives you the ability to assign someone else to manage your financial affairs if you are incapable of doing so; a credit shelter trust, which allows assets from one spouse to be used for the benefit of the surviving spouse—before they are passed onto a beneficiary; and a charitable remainder trust that allows you to donate assets, such as stocks or real estate, to a charity and receive an immediate charitable deduction on your taxes.

If you’re ready to put your financial affairs in order, talk to your advisor about helping you set up a comprehensive estate plan.