‘My main goal is to help people’: I’m single, 74, with $10 million burning a hole in my pocket. What should I do?

I am a single, healthy 74-year-old woman. I have never been married and I have no children. I currently live in Texas and plan to donate most, if not all, of my assets to charity after I pass away.

At present, I have four brokerage accounts — two individual accounts, one self-directed IRA and one self-directed Roth IRA — as well as several online bank accounts. Altogether, these accounts total a little over $10 million.

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Instead of hiring an attorney to establish a revocable living trust or prepare a formal will, can I simply name different charitable organizations as beneficiaries on all of my financial accounts? I could also handwrite a last will and testament explaining my wishes.

One part of me would like to leave my house and SUV to my niece and nephew, because they are both willing to serve as my financial and medical powers of attorney and to help carry out my wishes after my death.

However, another part of me would actually prefer to donate the house and SUV to charity. My concern is that I need someone I trust to serve as my financial and medical powers of attorney and to handle the administration of my estate.

My main goal is to help people who are poor and in need. If my niece and nephew receive the house and SUV, I would probably ask them to donate half of the proceeds to the Red Cross. I am also preparing my tax return now.

I also own my home and SUV outright, with no outstanding debt. I have already prepaid my funeral expenses. I would like to simplify my estate planning if possible. In particular, I would appreciate advice about:

1. How to properly arrange for my niece and nephew to serve as my financial and medical powers of attorney. Who should serve as executor or otherwise handle my estate after my death?

2. Is a handwritten will legally sufficient and advisable in Texas?

3. Will there be additional tax returns or other tax obligations that need to be handled after I die? If so, who would be responsible for filing them? Are there tax advantages or disadvantages to leaving my assets directly to charities?

I would very much appreciate any suggestions you have. How do you think I should proceed?

Related: 'This is a tricky subject': We're in our 70s and our only child is 40. Do we leave her everything?

You know what you want. The rest is logistics.