ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — It’s something we don’t want to think about but two things are certain in life – death and taxes – and hopefully we can help you prepare for one of those.

Creating a will, establishing a trust and/or setting up an estate helps a lot, David Hicks of Oakmont Advisory Group says. Here are some tips he has for creating a will:

• Decide who inherits your assets
• Appoint someone to manage your estate
• Avoid state-decided distribution

A will can go a long way. Also, keep in mind things that can delay probate. You can minimize probate delays by reviewing beneficiary designations on:

• Retirement accounts (401K, IRA)
• Life insurance policies

To avoid a probate, maybe consider a living trust. Here are some other advantages to having a living trust:

• Set way to manage and distribute assets
• Increased privacy

David Hicks shares more details in the video above.