What You Should Bring To Your Consultation

12 Things to Bring To Your First Estate-Planning Appointment

Now that you have made an appointment with us, you are probably wondering what to bring to your appointment. We have compiled a list below of what you will want to bring to help move the estate planning process as quickly and efficiently as possible.

We will also be asking some in-depth questions about you: your finances, your goals, your family, and of course any questions and concerns you may have. Once we have that documentation and information in front of us, we will work on designing your custom estate plan and set a follow-up appointment to have you come back and sign your estate planning documents when they are ready.

Please bring the following 12 things with you in preparation for your first meeting:

  1. Your up to date financial statement, if you have one. A financial statement should include a balance sheet, an income statement, a statement of changes in equity, and a cash flow statement. This is NOT required, but is incredibly helpful!
  2. A list of any questions or concerns. We recommend thinking about this ahead of time instead of the day of your appointment. Keep your list handy and write down any questions as you think of them.
  3. Investment accounts such as 401Ks, retirement plans, IRAs, pensions, brokerage accounts, CDs, stocks and bonds, mutual funds, etc.
  4. Copies of your retirement plan and annuity contracts as well as life insurance policies.
  5. Names and contact info of your favorite charities.
  6. Any prenuptial or marital agreements.
  7. Any previous estate planning documents.
  8. Contact information of any other professional advisors like your CPA, financial advisor, and any attorneys you may have on retainer.
  9. The contact information for family members and anyone you want in positions of authority. This can include your trustees, executors, and agents under a power of attorney.
  10. Contact information for your general practitioner and any specialists that may have information into any conditions you may have.
  11. A preliminary list of those you wish to name in positions of authority such as trustees, guardians, executors, and agents under a power of attorney.
  12. A preliminary list of your estate planning goals.

It may look like a lot, but this information is going to help us create a well-rounded estate plan for you, as well as help set goals for the future.

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