And by individual stocks, I don’t mean the company’s stock. I’m talking about non-employer stocks traded on an exchange.

In addition, do most 401k plans allow the participant invest in any mutual fund of his/her choice? Or do most 401k plans offer only a limited mutual fund selection?

*I know plans vary. But, this is just a general question.

Since there are a lot of possible variables, here’s my situation. I’m not planning on dying, just trying to figure how much life insurance I should have and what I can do ahead of time.
Single. Live with both parents. No dependents.
10k student loans
10k ING savings
10k stocks
2k IRA
2k credit card debt
4k car in my name

So far I’ve learned on Sallie Mae.com that student loans are eligible for discharge upon death. Good reason not to pay them off when you have a nice 3% interest rate.
Now, I’d like my parents to be able to just take my car, savings/checking accounts (they have the same bank), Roth IRA, and stocks in the event of my death. How can I allow them to do that?
Which of my debts become null? And what accounts can they claim without any effort? What can I do to make things easier for them? Also, how do taxes come into effect.
I hope others may find your answers useful as well.
Sallie Mae website about loan discharge.

http://www.salliemae.com/after_graduation/manage_your_loans/borrower_responsibility/understanding/discharge.htm

Why should I have a vehicle to keep my mutual funds in? They are easily accessible when needed. I will be taxed at both points in time with or without a traditional IRA. The roth is not an option.

Roth ira, roth ira rules,what is roth,retirement plan roth ira 2010,roth ira qualification,what does a roth ira do,ira for minors,simple roth ira calculator