FREE NO OBLIGATION INITIAL CONSULTATION
INTRODUCTION:
Information provided is held in complete confidence and is used to analyze estate planning needs and design estate planning documents.
Completing this worksheet is not mandatory prior to the initial appointment with us, but if you can complete the worksheet prior to your appointment, more information and value will be received during the complimentary initial consultation.
During the initial appointment, we will determine your specific estate planning needs and goals. The potential cost of probate and tax which would occur with your plan will be analyzed, and methods of reducing costs and accomplishing goals will be discussed. An exact quote on fees for estate planning will be provided before you authorize completion of your estate plan.
INSTRUCTIONS:
The information requested on this worksheet may seem intrusive, but we must understand your present situation and your wishes for the future. This information enables us to plan the estate to accomplish your goals, avoid probate, and save on taxes and administrative expenses.
If you (Client #1) are Married and all information on this worksheet is identical to you and your spouse (Client #2), complete only one worksheet. If information significantly differs, consider choosing the Single version of the worksheet for each person. Unmarried couples may use the worksheet as married couples, but please select the correct marital status, as it affects our recommendations for your estate planning.
Required fields are denoted by red asterisks *
Do you have a will?
Do you have a trust?
Are you a U.S. citizen?
Were there any previous marriages?
Do you have any children?
Are any of your children not from your current marriage?
Do any of your children or other beneficiaries have disabilities?
Do you own a farm or business?
If yes, is there a buy-sell or stockholders agreement?
Do any of your children work in the business with you?
If yes, does the child working in the business have an ownership interest in the business?
Do you or any family members or potential beneficiaries have any serious health problems?
Do you own a long-term care (nursing home) insurance policy?
Have you contracted with your spouse (such as a prenuptial or community property agreement)?
Are you named as Trustee of any Trust, or named as an Agent under any Durable Power of Attorney (other than for your spouse or partner, if applicable)?
NET WORTH: If you added the value of all property owned by yourself and your spouse including real estate, personal property, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, IRAs, and anything else you own except death benefits on life insurance, then what is the approximate total value of your estate?
Please list your income/asset/liability information in the category below. Please see the last page for more information regarding your assets.
Check ALL of the various types of assets that you have:
Do you have any closely held business interests? (Such as interest in a non-publicly traded partnership, limited liability company, or corporation, etc.)
For each closely held business interest, provide copies of your organizational documents, and provide the following information:
Include all mortgages, personal loans, etc.
SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE. If you wish to avoid probate of your estate by executing a living trust during your lifetime, a successor trustee should be named. The person or corporate trustee selected as your personal representative is usually the same as the successor trustee. The successor trustee would manage assets if you were unable, or with a joint trust, if neither you or your spouse were able. The successor trustee would distribute assets to beneficiaries after death, or in a joint trust, should neither you or your spouse survive.
HEALTH CARE AGENT. This individual will make medical decisions on your behalf including decisions regarding medical consents, life support issues, and nursing home admission if you cannot make these decisions yourself. Frequently, the primary agent is the spouse. It is not required to appoint the same person who is your successor trustee or personal representative as your health care agent.
DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY (DPOA). This individual will make financial decisions including decisions regarding securities, accounts, deed, and asset transfers on your behalf should you be unable to make these decisions yourself. Frequently, the primary agent is the spouse. It is not required for your DPOA to be the same person who is your successor trustee or personal representative. You choose below whether you intend for your DPOA to assume his power immediately upon signing, or only upon your incapacity.
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE. The Will should name a safety net personal representative should it become necessary to probate the estate. (Personal representative is also sometimes referred to as executor or administrator.) (Example: Client #2 as primary personal representative, with a child, relative, friend, or corporate trustee as an alternate. In second marriage situations, Client #2 as the primary personal representative may not always be appropriate.)
GUARDIAN. If you have minor children or a beneficiary with special needs, you may need to appoint a guardian. The guardian handles the day-to-day care of the child. Name an alternate guardian to act if your first choice cannot serve.
TESTAMENTARY TRUSTEE. You may need a trustee to manage assets for beneficiaries until they reach an age when you believe they should be capable of managing assets on their own. A trustee can keep the beneficiary’s money invested wisely and use it for their education, support, etc., until they reach the age specified for outright distribution of assets to them. The trustee can be a relative, friend, trust company, or other person or institution you trust to manage and distribute assets according to your wishes. The testamentary trustee can be the same person named as the guardian, or could be a different person or institution.
AGE OF DISTRIBUTION. If you establish a testamentary trust to allow a third party to manage assets for beneficiaries, you should decide when the beneficiaries will be mature enough to manage assets on their own. You may select from the following distributions, or speak with us about a specific plan.
Documents Needed for Completion of Estate Planning Before Signing Your Trust
It may be helpful to bring as many of the documents listed below to your initial estate plan consultation. While not needed for the initial meeting, these documents are necessary for us to help you fully “fund” your Trust, i.e, retitle all your assets into your Trust after you sign your Trust to avoid probate. Simply check below all that apply.
Within seven (7) days of your initial estate plan consultation, please provide us with a copy of any document or record evidencing your ownership of any of these assets, such as bank account statements, brokerage account statements, warranty deeds, auto and life, home, and auto insurance policy declaration pages, and certificates of title, if any. Copies are preferable to handwritten notes to help avoid drafting errors. If we do not receive all documents within seven (7) days of your initial estate plan consultation, there is an additional per asset transfer fee of $100.00 to transfer assets to your estate plan as provided in your Firm Engagement Agreement.
By clicking "Submit" for the Estate Planning Worksheet, Client(s) represents that all information submitted has been reviewed and approved by all parties mentioned in this form.
